The Incubator
by heffermonkey
Summary: I wonder what he plans for me - the used up incubator who can't carry seed and doesn't do well at not thinking.  AU!futuristic, Slave!fic, Mpreg   characters: Danny/Steve, Kono, Chin, Grace.


**Title**: The Incubator

**Rating:** NC17

**Characters/Pairings:** Steve/Danny, Kono, Chin, Kamekona, OC's

**Summary:** I wonder what he plans for me - the used up incubator who can't carry seed and doesn't do well at not thinking.

**Warnings:** AU!Future, M-preg, slash, slave!fic, forced termination

**A/N**: So I told myself, NO MORE FICS until I finised the two epics currently eating up my brain cells. Then this kind of took over all thought patterns for the past week or so and ended up taking all of my time. So - I've never written Mpreg before so don't even ask me WHY I wrote this because IDEK! And then I made things more difficult by making it an AU Slave!fic because, um hello, why would I not make this difficult for myself? Oh and yeah, then it came out 1st POV - what the hell brain? Are you trying to kill me. If one person reads this and finds something worth enjoying I will be eternally grateful and happy.

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><p>I keep my eyes down, try not to listen to their conversation. Because to be caught looking, listening - I've been hazed enough to know proper conduct of behaviour pertaining to my position. It's one thing that's always been a secret amusement, that they think because of our status, we are ignorant to the things that involve us.<p>

Like conversations.

We're expected to hold a conversation when we are spoken to, but should close our ears and be effectively invisible when we are not. I hear a slap nearby, one of the younger ones who haven't mastered their technique of acting inert is hazed for probably looking or acting interested in whats going on around us. I feel a breeze against my skin, someone is walking by, a buyer and I gaze down at my feet with passivity.

"Him?" A voice asks, close to me. I don't move, stay still as a statue.

I'm unusual so I cause a little interest - too old to be on the market, despite the one thing that sets me apart from all the younger bodies I'm shunted along to market with.

I'm an incubator, a rarity.

"Fresh out of the pound," my current holder mutters from close by. "Been in there for eight years. Old though, not many years left in him to harvest. Tell you what, I got a young model coming to me middle of next week. Nubile, ripe - plenty of harvest in him if that's what you're looking for. Fresh out of training."

He's right. At thirty four I am old compared to the rest of the market. Got myself eight years in the pound for resisting harvest. My body rejected three times and it was my fault apparently. Like I can control what goes on inside me. It was my attitude they said. Said it was my negative thoughts and feelings for harvesting that cut off the lifeforce to carrying the seeds. So I got eight years hard labour to learn how to think positive. Here I am standing in a fucking market without a hope to be owned again, destined for the colonies. But I've got to stay positive.

Give me a fucking break.

I tense my jaw to stop any telling negativity betray my thoughts. I'm not supposed to think, I'm just expected to exist unti l they give me a purpose in which to structure my existence.

"Why was he in the pound?" the voice asks.

He's still here? Why ask when he knows nobody is going to take on the old, used, 'barely any useful left in him' incubator?

"Seeded three times and lost every one of them," I hear as the reply. "Always been trouble, they said he was negative from the beginning about the idea of harvest. Didn't even give the seed a chance. They say on the third try when he heard he'd went to seed, he shut down completely, howled and bawled like a friggin new born and raved how he didn't want it. How's a seed supposed to take with that negative force rejecting it from it's incubator? So he got eight years hard labor, long enough to teach him a lesson but not too long that he outlived his purpose. But with his history, nobody's gonna want to take him. He's worthless. Only reason I took him on is I get paid good money to take on state cases like him, especially if I can shift him."

He's right, I am worthless. An old incubator with a bad history of negativity. He's lying about one thing, I didn't _'bawl like a friggin new born'_ as he keeps telling the buyers who deign to ask about me. The state would triple the price he gets if he sells me, but he makes more money just dragging me around with him. A permanent income and because I'm an Incubator he gets to fuck me any time he wants to keep me ripe as long as I'm on the drugs. When I seeded the third time I did everything I could to incubate, followed every rule, channelled every fucking positive thought I could think of to that seed in hope it would gestate. I knew if it didn't work they'd haul me to the courts. Two months later and there I was, fast tracked to eight years hard labour.

Three strikes and I was out.

If I'm honest I'd rather live being fucked by my holder every night than be put through the seeding process again. The rejections are harrowing and I don't want to suffer another one. And I can't handle the pound again. If I go in again I'll never get out, just sent to one of the colonies to work until I die.

"How much?"

_Really_? I fight not to lift my head and give him a look like he has two heads, because why the fuck has he taken an interest in a case like me? Even my holder begs the question.

"Really?" I hear him say and then he's next to me, a hand on my arm, clenching tight. "He ain't that much you know, as a fuck. And he's useless as an incubator. In fact if I have to haul his ass around any longer I'd just fast track him to the colonies. Like I said I've got new stock coming to me next week."

"I asked how much," comes the reply, this time the voice much harder, expectant. I hope my holder doesn't feel the shiver in my limbs when I listen to that voice, the way it speaks, with authority. Not used to being questioned about his choices. But there's something about it that makes me intrigued.

"300 credits," my holder replies, his grip on my arm less tight now. I hold back a look to him wondering if _he's_ grown two heads.

"Wait, you're trying to imply he's a used up, old incubator, barely useful any more and expect me to pay 300 credits?" The voice laughs, mocking and even I know it's ridiculous. I'm not worth half that with a history of negative incubations and eight years in the pound. "I'll give you 100 and you can keep the change."

"Hah, that's a joke right?" My holder leaves go of me completely and moves off. "Nobody sells any slave for that price. 250, final offer."

"150," my prospective new owner barks back. "How long do you think the state is gonna let you haul his ass around for before they realise you're just taking them for a ride? Then they'll either look for a quick sale and remove your comission or they haul him off to a colony. You got plenty of slaves around here to fuck so it isn't like you need to keep him around. Let me take him off your hands, at least this way, you make a little extra cash and have one less slave to move."

"200," says my holder after a few moments of deliberation.

"150 and I take him now," comes the reply and I'm wondering if either of them will back down. 150 credits for a slave like me is a high price and the holder is going to end up with triple that with his comission. It will most likely keep him in the good books of the state and he'll have more ex-pounders fed into his hands to get back out into the market.

"You got the credits?" my holder asks, unable to resist the greed of credits as well as getting me off his hands.

"You have his papers?" my buyer asks back.

"This way," comes the reply.

I'm left wondering about my fate as they go finalise the details. I'm still on display and feel the breeze of passers by, occasionally pausing to look at me and consider me as a prospective buy. That's because they don't know my story, if that were the case they'd give me barely a glance. I still stare down at my feet, biting back the urge to look up at them and tell them to move along, that I'm owned now, I think. If the sale is sealed between the holder and owner.

I wonder what he plans for me - the used up incubator who can't carry seed and doesn't do well at not thinking.

/

His name is Daniel Williams and he's my new owner. I haven't had much of a look at him yet because he hasn't addressed me much. Just asked my name, it's Steven, and told me I'd been bought before I'd been escorted from the market to his car by another of his slaves. They put me in the holding cage fitted in the trunk, made sure I was secure and left me to wait. The cage is fitted with windows so I can see out but I don't take much in, staring down any my lap instead and waiting for my new owner to take me home. I've been to plenty of markets to know the score - the comings and goings of potential owners, selling, trading and comparing slaves.

I got a sly glimpse at him as he stood by the car talking to someone. I knew it was wrong but I kept casting glances his way to try and get a feel for him. I always wonder at owners, wonder how they were born free and I wasn't. What hand of fate tipped the balance to put me on my path and they and theirs? I happened to look up just as he was turning to the car to get in, catching me looking and it's a long pregnant pause as we look at each other before I drop my eyes. Fuck I'm going to get myself into trouble before he even gets me home. I've been owned for fucking ten minutes and already showing I don't conform to the simple rules.

I've never understood the not looking, not unless you're addressed. You'd think they'd want us to worship them with our eyes the way they expect us to worship them with out words, our expressions, our bodies and souls. Not that I'd say it - because I'm not a fucking psycho. Eight years in the pound was enough to teach me never to express my thoughts into coherent words.

It's a long, uncomfortable drive. I'm used to long journeys but the trunk is small and my long limbs suffer for it. It's the middle of the day and the sun is scorching throught the glass enough to make me sweat and I'm desperate for a drink. Eventually we pull up to a house and as I haul my cramped limbs out of the storage cell, I try not to make it evident as I stretch out the aches. The house is a large one, by the beach and I look it over as I follow him up the steps to the front door.

"Welcome home," he says as we walk into the hall.

I look up at him and try for a small smile, even though it's the weirdest thing an owner has said to me. Usually by now they've barked out orders, told me my duties and fucked off to live their life while I try and learn how I fit invisibly into it. Maybe things have changed in the eight years I've been in the pound, but I very much doubt it.

Owners are all the same and there's only one reason he's bought an incubator.

He's different from any other owner I've ever had. He owns a large house by the ocean, with plenty of private land and beach to go with it. Owns a business and commutes into the city most days. The household isn't a large one in terms of slaves, a cook named Kamekona has been with him the longest, his first purchase. Lei is his personal driver, there's a pair of gardeners, Max and Halia; Kim is keeper of the house, helped along by Kamekona.

He lets us call him Danny. It's a rarity, some owners like to bolster their power by having us refer to them as Sir/Ma'am, Master/Mistress. But from the start Danny makes it clear he isn't that kind of owner. And he talks to us, all of us, like we have something useful to add to his conversation. It's easy, especially watching him around Kamekona, to pick up on the fact there's something genuinely caring about him towards the people he owns. I find that the ease comes naturally when I realise this fact.

I have a more specific role to play in his household but he gives me time to settle in and I help with the housekeeping. I'll also keep his bed warm at night, my room is his and from the first night he takes his enjoyment of me. That's how I know he's different. Because he's gentle and careful and makes sure I enjoy it as much as he does.

It doesn't take me long to adjust, it's been some time since I was part of a household but it feels good to belong somewhere again. I feared after the pound I'd never get the chance to be owned again, to belong, even if it's only for a short time.

/

It's four months before Danny tells me it's time.

I hate coming off the meds. Weaning off them after only a few months is bad enough, but I've been on them nigh on nine fucking years and a few hours in I'm already feeling the change. I've heard stories about drug abuse from years ago - back in the days when people relied on drugs to give them their kicks. Weird to think people happily took drugs to give them a high no matter the risk. Their come downs were akin to this and I wonder why people would put themselves through that process. ' Addiction' they used to call it. Fucking crazy is what I call it. I'm given the drugs to prevent me from seeding every time I'm fucked. They don't give me a high, just keep parts of my body shut down until they are needed. But the come down, the change - it's a fucking nightmare. I'm given new drugs to speed up the process of change and get me ready to incubate.

It feels like my body has been in the centre of a ten car pile up. Outwardly there's no change, but I feel battered and brusied and tender everywhere. It's all part of the process only because of nine years, every change seems even more heightened. I'll adjust eventually only I don't think Danny will wait very long. He's too focused on the goal, he doesn't want to wait any longer and I can't stop him. And I'm sending out all the signals to get him ready too. Pheremones are suddenly attacking his senses and getting him ready and the day is gonna come when he's gripped by that desire to take me. It could be any where, at any time an animalistic instint he won't be able to fight, different from any fucking we've done already.

A doctor checks me over and informs Danny I'm ripe, that it will be any day now. It's a silent hint to have me with him at all times and that he probably shouldn't spend much time with me in public places. A few owners have been caught unawares, unable to resist the need to take their Incubator right there and then, no matter what kind of public spectacle it creates.

We don't leave the house much, Danny works from his office at him and I'm expected to be at his side morning, noon and night. It's mid afternoon when it hits him, one moment we're walking by the study and the next I'm plastered to the wall, his hands everywhere and sending what feels like electric currents zinging through my body. Thumbs brush my nipples under my t-shirt as his mouth clamps over mine and I arch into the touch, tender and sensitive. My moans spur him on and he pushes us into the room, kicking the door closed with his foot as he aims me at the desk.

"Steve, fucking, clothes," he pants out as the back of my thighs hit the desk and I'm ahead of him, pulling my t-shirt right off and reaching down to undo my pants. His lips suck at my nipples and it's hard to concentrate when such a talented mouth it teasing you but I manage to slide my pants half way down my legs.

I'm trying to kick them off even as he turns me roughly, impatient, pushing me down towards the desk, pants caught round my ankles and I feel the rough brush of fingers at my ass. It's always like this, rough and fierce, my owners unable to stave off for foreplay or much preparation. I try to remain as prepared as I can when I'm in harvest mode, fingering myself when I get the chance. It's been a few hours since I got the chance today when I went for a toilet break.

I wince as he lines up, my ass ready but it's still rough as he pushes in relentless. The change always make it feel that more stimulating and I groan loud into the desk, feeling his cock drive deep and sending more electricity zinging through my body. I can't keep the sounds in, pleasure already throbbing through my nerves and Danny has always been spurred on by the sounds he drags from my body. He fucks into me with a fierce intensity and I can't help but shudder and moan for it. One of his hands is gripped round my hip, the other curled round my shoulder, pulling my body back every time he thrusts forward, driving every inch of his cock into my accepting hole. I can feel his fingers digging into my skin in both places, bruising and hard.

The pace is fast and I know it won't take him long to empty into me, his thrusts are already hard and meaningful and the feelings I've stirred up in him a drive him to the goal with a heady rush. A final few jerks and he yells loud, grinding his hips as his cock spasms deep inside me. He grunts, giving small thrusts until his cock quits twitching and slowly withdraws, tucking himself back into his trousers with a satisfied sigh, coming down from his high. I feel the blunt press of a plug after a moment, sealing his sperm inside me to help along the chances of seeding. It's a natural side effect that I don't get aroused myself, like the pleasure is diverted elsewhere.

If I don't go to seed we'll know soon enough. Danny will have the urge to take me again, my body letting out the pheremones to entice him into copulation. It'll happen as long as it takes for a seed to take. Usually the process takes about a week, it's rare it ever happens on the first try. The last three times I went to seed it took four tries the first time, two tries on the second and nine on the third.

For now I don't know what my body will do, all we can do is wait.

It takes five days and seven tries before I know something is different. It's been nearly a day since Danny last took me and my body doesn't ache as it has done, the sense of it is dulling. It's like an instinct, knowing it's been successful and I broach the subject with Danny.

"I think you should book us an appointment with the doctor," I say with a mild trepidation.

I'm surprised by his reaction, he comes up close, cups my cheek and smiles, a genuine happy smile on his lips and in his eyes.

"You think?" he asks softly and I think maybe this is something he's been waiting for for a very long time. I'm confused by the signals though, because this is all for him yet he's trying to make me part of the process. I'm just the incubator, I'm not supposed to care. I do, but owners don't care about that. They just want the child the seed will become.

I give a small nod, trying not to convey my confusion and he gives another small smile, looks like the happiest fucking man in the world and pulls out his cell to call the doc. We get an appointment for first thing in the morning.

My instincts were right, Danny is successful and the incubation period starts. I try not to think of the other times, I'm afraid of what will happen if it fails but I can't help but wonder. Still, it's the kind of negative energy that doesn't help the seed grow. Life goes on same as before only Danny is a little more tender, a little more caring. When he takes me to his bed and fucks me it's softer, slower, pleasureable. I try to tell myself not to read into it. Because it's easy to think owners care, when all we really are are objects they own to be used. Like a cup, or a fork, or a body to incubate their child.

I take it one day at a time and days turn to weeks, turn to months. Danny has me monitored closely and by the third month he wants to know the sex. Some people still like to wait until the birth but Danny seems impatient to know. After a scan he and the doc disappear to talk whilst I get myself dressed again. When Danny returns he snaps because I'm still tying my boots and waits at the door with an impatient air.

I keep my eyes lowered to the ground so he doesn't see the questions in my eyes. Is there something wrong? Has the doctor told him something about me? About the baby? He's silent all the way home, I sit by him in the car, unable to travel in the cramped space of the holding cage in the trunk. Not in my condition. But Danny just sits and stares out of the window in quiet contemplation. I itch to reach out and hold his hand. Something is wrong and it's something about me, but he's shut off and I'm expected to just accept it.

Work takes him away for days at a time and I barely see him for weeks. Nights pass when I fall asleep before he comes home, or he fucks me quick to scratch an itch before falling asleep instantly afterwards. When he finally spends time with me he seems back to his usual self, nothing more has been said about the doctors apointment and I don't dare bring up the subject. Danny hasn't told me the sex of the child I'm carrying, I don't even know if he knows. I want to ask but it isn't my buisness so I hold my tongue and go with the flow. I'm five months along now and my belly seems to swell every day. I've developed back pain and my feet become painfully swollen from one day to another. Some days I'm full of adrenaline and energy and others I can't rouse myself to do the simplest of duties I'm still expected to carry out.

Danny isn't hard on me but I know it frustrates him that I'm not operating correctly. In any other circumstances I'd of been hazed until I did the tasks to the correct level of expectation. I frustrate myself - I move slower, I forget my manners at times and the child saps up my energy. Never having carried a child this long it's a bizarre, alien experience and I'm trying to cope as much as Danny is. We seem to see each other through it and I'm glad of his support. I know other owners wouldn't be as sympathetic to my plight.

By seven months the doctor orders bed rest for most of my days. I'm not used to lying about doing nothing and it drives me crazy. The child sleeps through the day and wakes up at night, kicking like a fucking bucking bronco and keeping me up. I'm hit by waves of nasuea and if I'm not laying in bed, I'm throwing up every morsel I manage to swallow down.

Danny sits with me sometimes, presses cold cloths to my forehead to keep me cool. He even gives me foot massages, fucking foot massages from one Owner Daniel Williams. He soothes me to sleep with reassurances.

"Not long now Steve," he whispers when he rubs the pain away in my lower back that has taken up a permanent residence, helping me drift off to sleep.

At eight and half months we're both counting down the days to my apointment for the section if I don't come full term before then. Either my body will tell me it's time or the doctors will induce labour and either way the section will go ahead. I wake up with a painful cramp, cold sweat and I know then it's time. Grunting through the muscles spasms it takes me five minutes of pure agony before I can wake Danny who's asleep beside me.

He sits up suddenly and looks at me as another spasm hits and I just grip the sheets and hope he gets the fucking message. It's like my insides are ripping apart inside me. Danny doesn't say anything, just gets out of bed, dresses as he calls the ambulance. I'm at the birthing ward within half an hour and the pain is unbearable. I've lost all control of my thoughts, forget every rule I've ever had hazed into me about conduct and tell them to get the fucking child out of me.

I feel like I'm going to die.

Danny tries to calm me down as the doctor and his team gets to work and I look at him with something akin to hate. He's done this to me, fucking planted his seed in me and forced me to carry his child until this time came. But something deep inside me tells me that's not true, I wanted this, for Danny. And maybe that is why this time was successful, because I wanted him to have this gift, even if I didn't have much say in the matter in the first place.

I want Danny to have a child and I want that child to be from my body.

Eventually the pain subsides as they get me hooked up to machines, IVs in my arms. I feel weak and limp and they manouvere my body like I'm a puppet. A screen is raised and they set to work, Danny wiping my brow and keeping a close eye on the proceedings. I start to drift as I listen to the doctor barking out orders to his team and the last thing I see is Danny watching me with something akin to concern.

When I wake up it's in a recoup room, Danny is dozing in the chair beside me. I feel uncomfortable but not in pain and I realise I'm probably high on some pain killing drugs to stave off the agony of the surgery. I lay and watch Danny for a long time, waiting for him to wake up. He jerks awake and takes a moment to rub sleep out of his eyes before he glances over at me and sees I'm awake, standing and leaning over the bed to take a closer look at me.

"You're awake," he smiles, looking thankful.

"The baby?" I ask, I feel empty, the familiar heavy weight no longer there. It's a weird sensation.

"Everything went as expected," Danny tells me, fingers running over my brow as he smiles.

"Can I see it?" I ask. I still don't know if it's a boy or a girl.

Danny gives me a strange look and pulls away, the doctor arriving in the room before he can reply.

"Ah, I see he's awake Mr Williams," the docor says, giving me a brief nod but he directs all relevant information we both need to know to Danny. I'm merely part of the process, but I don't exist to him. "The birthing went well, I see nothing that will hinder recoup. We'll of course keep an eye on him for the next few days but as long as things stay on course he can continue recoup at home. I'll give you a schedule of what needs to be done and he'll be off all duties for at least two weeks. Then light duties which you can monitor, building him back up to his usual activities. I've also brought the final papers to sign for the adoption process. As you know we've already several interested parties who are willing to pay the high price value for a male. The comittee are making the final selection right now as per your request."

I'm stunned - it's the only way I can describe my feelings. I gave birth to a son for Danny and he's selling him on? The doctor is right, males do fetch high prices and no doubt Danny's standing in society means he gains even more value for him. I stare at Danny, uncaring of the consequences, eyes burning into his head like I hope I develop a laser vision to burn him. I want to hurt him - I want him to feel what it's like to suffer like I have for nine fucking months for it all to be taken away in an instant. For credits, several thousand no doubt. I feel like laughing, mocking myself because I thought there was something different about him. I thought there was something different about us - I let myself start to care, started to think it all meant something.

I'm a fucking joke and I played right into his hands.

Danny scrawls his name where it's expected and the doc leaves us alone. Danny turns back to me, with a look that reads apologetic.

Give me a fucking break.

I look away, I don't want to be near him, I don't want him to touch me. I tense as his fingers running along my arm, squeezing my hand. I didn't even get to look at the child, I carried it for nine months but it's meant to be nothing to me. I need to remember what I am - what I mean to him. I'm nothing but an object, my purpose is to incubate. The thing that grew inside me holds no emotional attachment. I may have felt it move and kick. I may have rubbed a hand over my belly like I could feel the lifeforce brimming underneath the swell and felt a small part of my heart reach out to it. I may have spoke to it in vain wonder that it may remember my voice when it was born, have some semblance of knowing of who I was despite my status.

But it doesn't mean anything. I'm just the incubator, nothing more.

Danny just hovers and I've no choice but accept the fate he's set in place. I wonder if he even realises or considers I have emotional connections to this situation? Has he ever thought slaves thought or felt or that we have ideas outside the parameters of the existences our owners set for us?

Has he thought I'd like to see the baby I've carried for nine months?

I close my eyes, hoping he'll leave me be, everything inside me is hollow.

/

My recoup goes well, I'm put back on repressant medication and life returns to normal. It's four months since the birth and I'm back to normal duties. Our relationship isn't the same. It's like he is trying to make up for what happend. He has no cause too - he owes me no explanation, no answers. By right he can do what he likes to me, with me and I'm to bear that without question.

But his touch is tender and constant, he always asks how I am with genuine concern for my well being. He invites me to have conversations with him and tries to make me laugh. The last few months have been hard - I'd heard rumours about the emotional bond of an Incubator and child. I always dismissed the idea as silly fantasy until now. Now I miss the loss - my body suffered for months with nothing to show for it. I know I wouldn't have had any control of his upbringing but I'd have been able to see him, speak to him, hold him.

I pour my grief into my tasks, afraid to suffer any wrath. I'm not supposed to feel like this or think like this and Danny has grown to read me too well that I'm afraid of the consequences if he figures it all out.

He's never mentioned his son, it's like the entire event never happened.

He takes me off the repressents eight months after my recoup. The come down isn't as bad this time but I wonder if this is my life now? A constant stream of babies, a money making scheme. It isn't against the law, it isn't frowned upon. Danny is a business man and he's using the assets available to him to generate money. I still wonder why me and not some younger incubator with plenty of harvest left in him.

I wake to him groping at me, driven by his focus and desire and I'm helpless to anything but the urge to respond. It has never felt like this with any of my other owners who used me for seeding. It's still a powerful and animal instinct but there's something more and I don't know how to process the knowing of it. Getting caught up with feelings is dangerous because it leads to heartbreak. I learned that the first time I was traded, after the first negative seeding - the rejection from my owner was worse than the loss of the seed because I'd tricked myself into thinking he cared for me more than just something to provide him with a child.

I'm surprised when I feel the slick probing of fingers preparing me before he takes me. It isn't much preparation, but it's enough and done through a barely held restraint. I push back against him, body pounding with lust. When he enters me we both gasp and moan and I feel the press of his mouth against the curve of my neck, jaw slack, hot wet breath burning my skin.

He forces himself to go slow, like self inflicted torture and if he feels like me it's verging on painful, the pleasure flowing from that pain into some freakish addictive zone only we are aware of.

I can't breathe fast enough, my breath gets trapped between my throat and lungs, heart beating so hard I feel it's going to burst out of my chest. His arm is snaked around my body like a form of bondage, gripped tight like a vice.

I lift a hand to grasp the headboard but he stops me, arm unfurling, hand wrapping round my wrist and forcing it down. I can feel his breath damp against my ear.

"Don't move," he growls low and I comply, unable to resist the order.

His hips pick up speed and every drag sends shudders up my spine like tiny sparks. I grunt and groan under the onslaught as his breath sounds harsh in my ear, encompassed by him and nothing else as he ruts into me like I'm a dog in heat.

"Fuck, fuck Steve," he grunts, burying his face against mine.

His voice is cracked, hoarse and desperate. It's also lined with emotion but I chase away the sentiment , I'm too caught in the moment. This means nothing, an act brought on by pheromones and close proximity - a natural occurrence.

There's nothing sentimental or loving about this.

I'm shaking, body in overdrive, everything surging to get my body ready to process the chemical reactions as soon as Danny empties into me. I gasp and moan and push back against him, urging him to come. A few hard thrusts that create a ache in my hips and Danny's pushing into me, short, shallow thrusts and the spasm of cock in my ass. He growls deep as he empties into me, his fingers less vice like on my wrist as he sates.

He stays slumped against me for a time, cradling and unmoving and I try and ignore the safe, secure way it makes me feel. When he pulls out it's careful, slow and he rolls away only to grab the plug, sliding it in gently, getting it snug before he envelops me in his arms again. Lips press at my shoulders and his hands skim over my hips, rubbing, massaging. I fall asleep, exhausted, his arms holding me close, lips still caresssing my skin.

I try not to feel content.

/

It only takes a second try before I feel the change this time. When I tell him it's time I feel less enthused, even when he gives me that same 'happiest man in the world' smile. I don't understand - does he feel anything for the child? Is he happy merely because in another nine months (if I successfully carry full term) he'll be able to make another ten thousand plus credits? I know people, I've been around those who love and worship money - Danny never seemed the type who was driven by it.

The doctor confirms my thoughts and this time I've some idea of what to expect. The first few weeks aren't any different, duties same as usual. Danny is as vigilant through this gestation as he was the first, verging on obsessive when it comes to making sure everything is okay. Three months in and I'm back in the doctors for a scan in order to determine the sex. I try not to let negative energy build in me that the reason Danny wants to know the sex is so he can start vetoing buyers if the incubation is successful.

I lay there and remain impassive as the screen fills with the weird murky view of my insides, seed clear as crystal starting to develop, the fluttering beat just off centre in the middle reflecting the life inside me.

"Congratulations," the doctor says to Danny with a smile when he asks about the sex. "It's a male."

I give Danny a glance, he ignores the monitor completely and looks at me with a contemplative air. He runs fingers along my face and I wish I could read his thoughts because he seems sad but I don't know why.

"How much are terminations these days?" Danny asks suddenly and even the doctor looks surprised.

There's a long, deathly silence and I drop my eyes, not looking at the doctor, not Danny. Not the fucking screen with the fluttering heartbeat.

"For Incubators, five hundred credits," the doctor replies after a moment. "But I must advise you Mr Williams, males fetch a high price in the adoption market."

"I know," Danny says with a nod. His fingers run along my arm to my hand and give a squeeze and I resist the urge to pull my hand away. "When can you fit in a termination?"

"Terminations are rare these days with high demand on the adoption market," The doctor explains and I wish he'd shut the fucking screen off. They talk as if I'm not there, as if the life force on the screen doesn't exist. "I can start you through processing right now if you'd like. I just need to call the ward, have them prepare a room, make sure a nurse is on hand to explain the procedure."

Explain the procedure? Does he think we don't know what a fucking termination is?

"Do it," Danny says and the doctor finally turns off the screen, wipes down my belly and covers me up.

"I'll be back with the relevant papers and someone to take you to the ward," he says to Danny, leaving us alone.

"I'm sorry Steve," Danny says, hands petting at my fingers.

I frown but don't say anything. It doesn't affect me, it's not supposed to. I don't look at him, biding my time until the doctor returns. Danny expects me to talk though, he won't leave me be.

"Steve," he says, sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning down into me.

His fingers brush against my chin and give a nudge, urging me to look at him. I try to remain passive as I comply, hiding the confusion and hurt.

"I don't want you to suffer like you did the last time only for it to end the same way," Danny explains. "I can't deal with that guilt again. It'll be easier this way."

Easier? If I was brave enough, if I thought I'd make it to the colonies and not a quick execution, I'd fucking bash his head off the floor until his brains pooled out. Following my gut instead of complying to his touches, I pull my hand away and damned the consequences.

"It's fine," I lie and I see in his eyes the recognition of the lie.

"Steve, I'm doing this for you, for us," he tells me softly.

"Okay," I reply, giving a clipped reply and having no fucking clue what he's talking about.

It doesn't matter any way. Either the pregnancy is terminated or the child is put up for adoption, either way he won't keep the child. I don't understand it, why go through the process of seeding if you don't want the child for some reason? Be it money or to start a family.

Before Danny can try and placate me more the doctor returns with papers, Danny lays down his signature fast and efficent. In under a minute the credits are paid and I'm being escorted to the termination ward. A nurse leads us down a corridor, a few of the doors are closed, most are open awaiting occupants. She put us in a one near the end and bids me to lie down while she takes some readings.

"Okay," she says in an efficent tone to Danny. "He's going to be given the pills to start the termination process. As the process takes places he'll experience extreme nausea and cramps, don't worry this is all part of the process as the body is forced into rejection mode. This effect will last for a few hours, once it has begun to subside we can get him prepped and ready for surgery to remove the negative seed. There's a visitors room down the hall if you wish to wait Sir or we have your details, we'll contact you as soon as the termination has taken place."

"I'm staying with him," Danny replies without a pause.

I can see she looks surprised, even bewildered and I'm guessing it's rare an owner chooses to stay whilst this process takes place.

"I assure you Sir we'll keep an eye on his progress," the nurse tells him. "It isn't something we encourage owners to witness."

"Why? Because it's a harrowing experience?" Danny asks, waiting for an answer.

I can see she's struggling for an answer that doesn't convery just how harrowing rejection can be. It's not like I'm not prepared for this, I've suffered three natural rejections already. Instead she decides to avoid the issue and gives him a small, false smile, almost mocking.

"Very well Sir, if you wish to stay that is of course your decsion," she turns for the door before Danny rips her apart with just words. I've seen him do it, he's fucking terrifying when someone gets onto his bad side. "Someone will be along shortly to begin the process."

Danny's eyes follow her coldly as she leaves and I give a small smug smile, looking away before he catches me. He nears the bed, taking off his jacket and laying it aside, rolling up his sleeves and loosening his tie before he looks at me with concern.

"This is going to be bad isn't it?" He asks and I realise he's as scared as I feel.

I can't do anything but answer honestly, not hiding my fear as I gaze back up at him and nod my head. "Yeah," I say and he looks crestfallen, bows his head and takes a breath like he's steeling himself up for what is about to happen.

He sits on the bed and holds my hand until another nurse appears with pills and water.

"Take these," she orders abruptly, shoving both the small cup of pills and the water at me.

Danny takes them off her with a cold stare which she returns equally. This nurse isn't as intimidated as the last one but Danny doesn't back down, just turns to me and holds the pills out to me first. I don't blink, just shove them into my mouth before swallowing them down with the water.

"I'll be back soon to monitor his progress," the nurse says, taking the empty cups and leaving.

Nothing happens for a few minutes and we got back to the hand holding. There seems so much to say, so many questions I want to ask him. Like why? I need him to explain to me why he doesn't want the child any more. I wonder if he gets some perverse enjoyment out of the initial copulation that occurs when my body ripens for harvesting. Senses so heightened, the sex unimaginably good, the pure raw lust and adrenaline that kicks in because of the pheremones.

He seems to want to talk but he just sits there and looks at me with concern, worry. These emotions confuse me because it's not how he's supposed to look at me. He's not supposed to care that much about me, a mere slave.

It's a strange sensation at first, like a weird tingling in my abdomen. But it develops into full blown cramps, reminding me of the labor pains from the last child. My muscles feel like they are squeezing inward, like they are somehow trying to squeeze out the lifeform within me, force it out of my body. Suddenly I'm too hot but I'm dripping in a cold sweat and I feel bile in my throat. Danny can't do anything but helplessly watch as I writhe in agony on the bed, scrabbling at the sheets as I try to sit up.

"Gonna be sick," I manage to pant out, somehow managing to get out of the bed.

Danny's arm has hold of me and he helps me to the bathroom where I sink to my knees, hugging the toilet bowl as I throw up. My guts squeeze out my stomach contents of my light lunch and I suck in breaths to try and control the heaving. I've got nothing left in me to throw up, my body is drained of energy and I can't move. But I'm forced into dry heaving, my abdomen is doing sommersaults and cartwheels, muscles clenching and cramping and I groan helplessly through it.

This is worse than experiencing a negative harvest.

Danny's hands massage my shoulders and I'm glad he's stayed. I couldn't do this alone. I start to cry from the pain and curse myself for it. I never cry, not since I was a young boy in training and constantly hazed for not doing a duty correctly. I don't know how he does it but Danny manages to get me back to the bed, where I curl up and try to breathe through the muscles spasms. I'm shaking, can't stop my limbs from shivering and I drift from hot to cold, feeling the sweat dampening the hospital clothes I'm in. Danny's hands are in constant motion, rubbing my back, stroking my face, holding my hand.

"Okay baby, you're gonna be okay," he whispers every now and then and I can hear it in his voice.

The concern.

I want to tell him to shut the fuck up, to stop caring, to stop treating me different from the other slaves he owns. I'm not special. But his voice soothes me and I want to believe it's genuine, that he does care, that he's different from other owners. It's all a lie I'm feeding myself. He's caught up in the moment, having to witness this and moved to show some consideration for my plight. But when it's over things will go back to the way they were before.

I don't know how long I lay there, I drift from being fully aware of my surroundings to some temperature induced haze where I babble and am unaware of any of my actions, just a constant throbbing in my stomach. Eventually, slowly, everything starts to subside. The nurses have been intermittently checking up on me, a mere look at me, checking my vitals, asking Danny a few questions before leaving us alone again.

I feel like all my energy has been sapped away and I lie listless on the bed. I'm vaguely aware of the nurse coming back into the room, being wheeled down the corridor and into a room. A man talks to me and places a mask over my face and everything goes black.

I recover quickly from the termination, just a few weeks of recoup after the keyhole surgery to remove the dead seed. I feel stressed, back on the repressor medication my body has endured a lot of change in the last year and a half, but I keep quiet and get on with life.

Nobody cares about my troubles.

/

It's the height of summer and surfers are on the water from morning till night. I like to get out of bed early and watch them heading out to surf before the days starts. Danny's house has a private beach but we slaves rarely get an oppurtunity to enjoy that kind of freedom. I hear a shifting in the bed and glance around to see Danny waking. He's not usually an early riser and I chase away a pang of irritation that I can't enjoy the quiet moment for a little longer. You'd think a slave would crave the attention, we're left alone and ignored so many times in our lives. But when it's a self imposed moment of contemplation - those moments come rarely for us and you learn to treasure them. It's like a glimpse of freedom, making a choice for yourself. Even if it's just standing by a window watching surfers on a beach while the rest of the world sleeps.

"Steve?" Danny says dazed when he finds I'm not in my place beside him.

I swallow down a sigh and go back to the bed and he looks sleepily up at me, holding out a hand.

"Come back to bed," he says and I take his hand, slide back under the covers where he pulls me in close. "Still early, go back to sleep" he mutters, head bent down into my neck and his breath evens out as he drifts back off to sleep holding me.

I doze off myself, unable to do anything until Danny wakes properly. An hour or so later and he's starting to stir, his body shifting restless beside mine. I just lay there and wait to see if he wants to fuck me before he begins his day. He's not aroused but that would be quickly rectified depending on his mood. I open my eyes when he lifts his head, presses a soft kiss to my neck and sighs, warm breath skimming my skin.

"Morning," he sighs, not pulling away.

"Morning," I reply, shifting enough that I can face him.

He smiles, looking content, fingers rubbing gently against my chest as he seems to consider something.

"I want to take you off the repressant medication," he tells me after a pause. He sounds nervous, like he doesn't know how I'll react.

I react like I'm supposed to, because I've no control over what happens to me any way.

"Okay," I reply with a small nod of acceptance.

"You sure?" he asks and I can't hide the frown.

I'm confused and I'm in too close proximity to gather myself before I betray my mood. His face is inches from mine and he must be able to see the inner struggle he's causing by asking my opinion on this.

I'm not supposed to have an opinion.

"I-," I struggle to find words. What am I supposed to say? "Yes."

"You've been through a lot the last few months," Danny says, easing away the frown on my forhead with his fingers. "I don't want to rush things but the doctor says you're ready."

"Okay," I say again.

"Okay," he mimicks, rolling his eyes and pulling away. "Fucking hell Steven, try pretending you have brain functions other than complying to everything you're told."

I'm confused and hurt, I don't know what he wants from me. Now he's angry and I don't know why. He wants to take me off the repressants and he's asking me how I feel about it. 'How the fuck do you think I feel?' I want to ask him, I want to ask him how he'd fucking feel if he'd been put through the same experience in the past year and a half. I turn my face away because he's sees it, the anger and confusion under the surface. He knows I have these questions, questions I dare not ask, would dare not say out loud even just to myself. He lifts up and crowds into me, forcing my face back to look at him. I shutter myself back behind my passive mask but he grips my chin tight, fingers digging in enough to bruise.

"Don't. Don't hide from me Steven," Danny demands through gritted teeth. "You think I don't see you? Do you think I don't know you have thoughts and opinions? That you hurt. That you have questions. I'm tired of trying to pry under this fucking barrier you shroud yourself in. You're going to open up to me Steve, I don't care how long it takes but you're going to let me in. None of the bullshit agreeing and complying because I own you."

I don't know how to answer. My heart is beating fast, I can feel the thrum pounding right up into my chest. His stare is challenging, like he can see right into my soul, he just can't decipher what is found there. His fingers slacken on my face and he smooths the skin, chasing away the pain.

"Talk to me," he whispers, ducking his head down and his mouth is soft against mine, like he can tease the words out of me.

"I don't," I mumble, blinking back tears that are suddenly springing up in my eyes.

I don't know where to fucking start.

"Just talk," he encourages. His eyes are softer now, his touch caressing.

I swallow down the threat of tears, the lump in my throat forced down and away as I take in a breath. He kisses me again, mouth moving over my jawline, trailing along to my ear as he settles his weight against my body.

"Danny," I slide my arms around him and hold on tight because he's terrifying me now and I need him to walk me through this. No owner has ever given me free reign to talk, I don't even know if it's lawful to do something like this. What if someone hears? What if someone found out? What would they do to us? Fucking hell, I'm losing my mind - I'm actually going insane. What if I say something he doesn't want to hear? What if I say too much and he rejects me for it?

"Steve," he soothes me with words, mouth by my ear, barely a whisper. "I want to try for another baby and I need to know you're ready."

"The doctor told you I'm ready," I manage to say and he lets out a little sigh but he doesn't stop cradling me, holding me, enfolded in his embrace.

"I know," he tells me. "But he means physically. I want to know how you feel about it?"

How I feel? I'm fucking terrified is how I feel. Because his reactions to both harvests so far have been confusing and hurtful.

"I don't," I choke out and I know I'm going to regret not biting my tongue. That I should just act like the slave I am and keep my fucking mouth shut, my brain shut down, my opinions buried. "I don't know how I feel. I want to give you a child but you rejected the two of them and I don't know what you want from me. I don't understand why you're doing this to me."

I'm crying, 'bawling like a fucking newborn' as my old holder used to say. I'm clinging to him like he's a life raft and I'm crying and shaking and it's the first time I've ever spoken those words out loud, in my head I can deal with them. Said aloud, they exist now, it makes the confusion and pain all the more real and it's opened up a chasm I've barely been able to keep covered over in my silence. I expect him to be angry or to at least tell me that I've no right to feel that way. How dare I question him and his actions. But instead he holds me while my body shakes and I swallow down the tears and try and compose myself. It takes me all that time to realise he's talking me through it, soothing me with words, petting me with his hands, letting me get it out.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he whispers and it's the first time anyone has ever apologised to me. It's a strange word to my ears. "I'm sorry baby, I saw you were hurting but I just ignored it. I didn't want to deal with it. I thought you'd just adjust."

"I have, I don't," I try and tell him because I don't want him to apologise. It's too strange and weird and completely alien to me. It feels wrong. "I just want to know why? Did I do something wrong? Is it me?"

He pushes himself up so he can look at me and I look at him hopefully. There's pain in his expression and I realise it's for me. He pulls away a little more but I slide an arm around him. I don't want him moving far, I need him close to me before I spiral out of control. He settles on propping himself up on his elbow, a hand resting on my chest.

"When I saw you at the market that day," he starts and I realise he's nervous, like opening up isn't easy for him either. We're both fucking basket cases. "I knew I wanted you. It's like I knew you were meant to belong to me. I didn't care what kind of slave you were, I was going to fucking own you. When he told me you were an Incubator - fuck it was like something inside me came to life. I always wanted kids and I know, I could have paid the money for several adoptions. Could have paid for an implantation, had plenty of chances to buy Incubators but it never felt right. Not until I saw you."

I lay my hand over his where it lays on my chest. Words can't express how it makes me feel, I'm utterly bewildered by what he's telling me.

"But my history," I manage to say. "You still took me, despite my history of negativity. Eight years in the pound - there was a chance I'd never be able to give you what you wanted."

"Didn't matter, I still wanted you," he shakes his head. "Didn't care if it took us a hundred tries I knew you'd give me what I wanted."

"But it didn't take a hundred tries Danny, it took one," I say confused. He closes his eyes, takes in a breath as he nods his head.

"I know, I know," he says and his voice is full of sorrow and heartache. He looks at me again, tenderly. "I got myself into some financial problems. Just after we found out you were carrying. And as people kept telling me, boys fetch a high price on the adoption market. Enough to clear all my debts and have some to spare. I thought I could live with it, doing that to you. As the pregnancy drew on and you carried full term I relied on knowing that you were at least capable of carrying and so it didn't matter about the first baby. We'd try again."

"But the second time," I say, with a shudder. The termination was a harrowing ordeal I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

"I don't want a boy," he says simply. "Another reason I was able to trade off the first one so quickly. I told myself I didn't care for it because it was a male. I want a daughter Steve and I've convinced myself that I'd merely neglect a boy because it's not what I really want. So when the doctor said it was a boy, I didn't want you to suffer through a pregnancy that would end the same way. I'd most likely have put him up for an adoption as well - because I wouldn't want it. It would never be enough. I thought it would be better for you than make you go through everything again."

"What about this time?" I ask him simply. "What if it's a boy? Would you have it terminated again?"

He looks at me and I can see the answer. Yes, he would.

"I'd rather see you suffer for that short time than suffer several months with nothing to show for it at the end," he tells me. I have to be grateful for his honesty.

"What if we tried another time and another time and it was still always boys," I say, the idea too much to deal with and I feel the tears welling up again.

He ducks his head down, forehead pressing against mine as he squeezes my fingers.

"I'm sorry," he says simply. He'd merely keep up the cycle until I gave him a daughter.

"I can't, I don't want to go through that again Danny," I choke out with a shudder. If he's being honest then I have to be honest also and the idea of endless terminations is nightmarish. I cling to him suddenly scared at the prospect.

"You don't have that choice baby," he tells me. I know it's true and I nod my head at the knowing of it.

It's so fucking unfair. But I'm a slave - I know how to adapt to the unfair conditions of my existence. I find one thing is still crystal clear. I want to give Danny a child, I want to give him that gift. I always have.

"I want to have a child for you Danny, one you'll keep and adore and care for," I tell him my desires out loud, making them real. "I am ready for you to try again."

He gives me a smile and dips his head to press a kiss to my mouth, drawing back to whisper a 'thank you'. I'm surprised but can't say anything back as he kisses me again, more intentionally this time as he slides his body over mine. I open my legs to accomodate, his hand sliding down to my ass, cupping and squeezing. He moves off just to reach for the lube off the bedside cabinet, kneeling up to slide a slick finger against my ass and I relax as it probes and prepares me. I moan at the sensation as one fingers becomes two, teasing and opening me up.

It doesn't last long and I watch as Danny covers his cock quickly, looking over my body with a smile before he lines himself up. Fingers grasp at my right leg and I lift it up, the back of my knee resting at his elbow as he leans down, opening me up more as he slides in. I groan at the pleasure, reach up to press fingers against his chest, feeling the power there as he starts to fuck me.

My own arousal builds and I start to jerk myself off, matching his thrusts as he encourages me to touch myself. He leans right down, hands by my head and my body shifts at the angle, leg pulled right back and I let out a low growl at the pull. He stares at me and I can't move my eyes, staring back and not hiding anything from him.

"Master," I stutter, swallowing down on a moan that verges right from the pool of pleasure he's creating low in my gut. "Oh fuck, fuck."

He moves his hips faster, chasing my feelings of pleasure, bombarding them with more, building up the intensity.

"Yes, fuck Steven," he says, dark and possessive. "Give it up to me baby, wanna hear you."

I struggle to hold on, groaning in the onslaught of my orgasm. I wrap my free hand around him, body shuddering every time he slides into me, holding on to him, my only anchor before I fly apart.

"Come on, come on," Danny growls, fixated on sending me over the edge. "Come for me Steven."

I can't fight it anymore, I don't want to. My cock throbs in my clenched fist and I come, toes curling, back arching as he rides me through it, come smearing into a pool on my stomach as my cock twitches. My moans spur him on, body clenching around him creating extra sensations for him to fuck into and sending him to his own orgasm. Shuddering he buries deep with a cry of pleasure, hips grinding as his cock empties inside me.

/

That same day he orders me off my medication. Within four days I'm bent over the sofa as he ruts into me. Three days on and we're still trying, my ass aches from the fucking. It's after the tenth try, (the middle of the night I woke up to find him already lined up to take me, sleep fast receding as he slid into my now painfully sensitive hole) that I wake up and feel the difference.

Once more the visits to the doctors begin, I don't feel excitment now though. I just want the three month scan to come so we know where we stand. Danny squeezes my fingers as we wait for the doctor to come along, the nurse having already prepared me.

"It's okay," I whisper to Danny reassuringly and he gives me a grateful smile, bending down to kiss my forehead as the doctor arrives.

We're both holding our breath as he checks the vitals, watches the picture become clear and my eye settles on the small fluttering beat on the screen.

"So, you wish to know the sex yes?" the doctor asks Danny and he nods his head. "Well lets see now."

The doc stares at the screen for a while, moving the scanner back and forth over my belly before he pauses and hums, turning back to us.

"Congratulations," he says with a flourish to Danny and I wonder if they are given lessons in revealing the sex. "You're having a girl."

Danny's fingers tighten painfully around mine but his reaction to the doctor is kept minimal.

"That's great, thanks doc," he says in a calm voice, giving a soft smile. "Is everything else good?"

"Yes, all vitals are normal," the doctor says with a curt nod. "For both the baby and Incubator."

"Good, thats good," Danny nods and the doctor flicks the screen off.

"Well, I'll go update the records, if that's everything," the doctor stands and pulls off his gloves. "Congratulations again Mr Williams."

Danny waits for the doctor to leave, listening for the door to click firmly closed before he turns to me, leans down and kisses me passionately.

"A fucking girl," he says finally when he pulls away and I've never seen him happier.

/

There's something wrong. One minute I was fine, the next my stomach was doing somersaults and I've a bad cramping pain in my groin. I find Danny in his study and I don't want to worry him but it's a familiar feeling.

I'm losing her.

I'm rushed straight to the hospital where the doctor confirms my body is trying to reject the incubation. They get me in a room, hook me up to dozens of machines and hours later I'm finally starting to feel normal. Everything is fine, for now. I'm exhausted and afraid, as is Danny slumped in a chair beside my bed.

A doctor arrives, one we've not met before and he enters the room quickly, shuts the door behind him and looks from Danny to me to Danny again. I look at his face and wonder if he's brought some bad news as Danny stands up.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Chin Ho Kelly," he says, holding out a hand to Danny with a small smile.

"Danny Williams," Danny replies as they trade a handshake.

"And you must be Steve," Dr Kelly says, turning to give me a smile and holding his hand out to me.

Well this is a fucking turn up for the books. A doctor addressing me and not just Danny. I remember my manners and shake his hand briefly.

"Yeah, hi," I reply.

Danny gives a knowing smile at me and I try not to flush at the silent teasing. He reads my reactions too well and knows my thoughts. Dr Kelly doesn't seem to notice anything and looks at the both of us again.

"I've been looking at your files," he says, waving said file in front of us. "You have a history of negative harvests."

Tell me something I don't fucking know.

"Yeah, we know," Danny says my thoughts aloud. "He's also carried full term successfully and underwent a termination."

"Yes, I'm sorry Mr Williams," Dr Kelly rewinds and gives us both a soft look. "It's the negatives I'm focusing on. You've been lucky so far Steve, we have been able to stabilise your condition for now. But I'm afraid, as you'll already know, there's still a chance your body will abort."

"I'm confused doc, why exactly are you here?" Danny asks exapserated.

"Didn't you say you already knew of Steven's history of negative harvests?" Dr Kelly asks and I Iook at Danny bewildered. If he has a point we're missing it completely.

"Yeah, I know of them. I was informed when I bought him and it's in his papers," Danny replies with a shrug. "So?"

"Well then you know they were all female."

The words hangs heavy in the air and it's like I'm scrambling to put pieces together of a puzzle.

"Are you saying," Danny says after a moments silence and I can see he's trying to figure it out too. "That he nearly lost this baby because it's a female?"

Dr Kelly looks from Danny to me and looks apologetic.

"Steven is a rarity in more than one way. Not only is he an Incubator but he also carries a gene that rejects any female seed that implants itself. Now this problem should have been recognised the second time your body rejected harvest, never mind that it was overlooked the third time. Any decent doctor looking at Steve's files would have picked up on the neccessary findings to become aware of this. As it is, that is the reason why I am here, I was passed on your files as soon as your doctor became aware of the sex of the seed. I think some lines have been crossed, we knew you were aware of the negative harvests and so assumed you were aware of the risks in Steven carrying a female successfully to full term."

"So what? Are you saying we have options or that it's best not to go ahead?" Danny asks.

I sense he's trying to be strong, for the both of us. But he wants this so badly and it's killing him that we've gone through everything we have to have this dropped on us. I reach out and take his hand, giving his fingers a squeeze.

"I'm saying I'm here to help you," Dr Kelly assures him, setting a hand on his shoulder giving him a smile. "Now the first thing I would have to advise is a termination, but I'm going to go ahead and guess that isn't something you want to consider first."

"Not if we have other options, no," Danny says with a shake of his head before he pauses. "That is - if Steven's health isn't in any danger if we go ahead."

"Of course not," Dr Kelly assures him. "But I'm not promising that this will be successful. There are some procedures we can do, some medication to balance out the chemical imbalance. But it all depends on Steve's body adapting to everything. I can say that is if you do lose this baby and there is that chance, that we can pursue options before you even try again to help procreate a female and carry it full term."

"So it won't hurt to go ahead," I say with a shrug.

The doctor turns to me and smiles, a smile that reaches his eyes and he shakes his head. "No, not at all." Something tells me we've been lucky to be placed under Dr Kelly's care.

"Where do we start?" Danny asks, trying to be positive. I can tell he's still somewhat knocked by the news.

"I want to get Steve started on some medication straight away," Dr Kelly tells us. "We're going to keep you in overnight, monitor your progress. I've been able to view some of the case history but I need your permission to do a full review of Steven's medical history Mr William's. That way I may be able to pinpoint some details on how to deal with this."

"Yeah, okay, that's fine," Danny nods vigourously.

Dr Kelly smiles and nods, "I'll have a nurse get together the papers you'll need to sign. For now Steven I want you to rest. The medication may have some side effects, mild nauseua, slight dizziness, nothing drastic and we'll of course be monitoring you through the night. But if you feel anything is wrong and I mean anything in the slightest you let someone know and I'll come straight away. You know your own body well enough to know what's part of the natural process and what isn't."

"You got it doc," I promise.

"I'm going to do everything I can to see you through this," he assures me, leaning down to pat my arm before he turns to Danny, pulling out a small card from his pocket.

"My personal number," he says handing it to Danny. "Any questions or queries you can reach me on there. Don't hesitate to call. The nurse will be along with the papers that need to be signed and I'll be reviewing your case tonight. Hopefully we'll have a clearer understanding of what we need to do by morning."

"Thanks," Danny says, taking the hard and offering the doctor his hand.

"Not a problem," Dr Kelly says with a smile, glancing at me again. "Get some rest."

When he leaves Danny sits down on the edge of the bed, letting out a deep breath.

"Well, there's a whole lot of fucking information I wasn't expecting," he says and I can tell he's still blind sided. I rub a hand against his arm while he digests everything. He turns to me and puts a hand over mine, looking at me softly. "I'm sorry I've put you through all of this. If I'd known, maybe - maybe I wouldn't have tried so hard."

"Yes you would have," I tell him with a smile. "You would have because you would have had all the facts and known someone like Dr Chin Ho Kelly was around to steer you through it. He said himself, if you aren't successful this time, you could try again with a better success rate."

"We," Danny corrects me and I'm surprised by his candidness. "We can try again. And I mean the first two times Steve. You wouldn't have suffered like you did if -,"

"You didn't know. We didn't know," I tell him before he makes himself feel guilty even more. "Any way, we know now. And there's still a chance things will be okay."

Eight fucking years in the pound but only now I'm finally starting to think positive. Thank fuck for Dr Chin Ho Kelly.

I sleep well through the night and though Dr Kelly warned me of side effects, it isn't anything different from the usual nausea I'd feel whilst incubating. I've not yet had any dizziness. Danny stayed with me through the night, the nurses had a cot bed set up in the room when he told them in no uncertain terms was he leaving me alone.

Dr Kelly visits late in the morning and pulls up a chair to talk to the both of us. "How did you sleep Steve?"

"Great thanks doc."

"Good, that's good," He smiles and gives a nod at Danny. "How about him?"

"Tossed and turned all night," I reply with a grin and roll my eyes. "As usual."

"Hey," Dannys says warningly wagging a finger at me, but there's a teasing glint in his eye.

"Well you seem to be reacting to the new medication all right so far," Dr Kelly continues brightly. "Looking at your history it seems you've never been able to carry past four months yes?"

I think back and nod my head, "Right."

Should the memory of them be so vivid ten years on?

"So this near miss was of a similar time line," Dr Kelly thinks aloud. "You pulled through this time which is a good thing. I'm going to put you on a prescription for the new drugs, you take them once a day in the morning before you eat. We're also going to have to work out a new schedule of apointments so you can come and see me. They will be more regular than you're used to but it's vitally important we keep any eye on your progress and address any changes we may find. My advice is to take this one day at a time - you may feel things are positive now but I have to stress there is every chance this won't be successful. We simply can't presume to know how your body will react even with the changes we're implementing. But we're going to try and do everything we can to get you to full term."

/

So we take it one day at a time as the doc tells us. Days turn into weeks and soon I'm at six months. The back ache has returned, the swollen feet, but instead of throwing up every morsel I'm full of cravings. Pineapple mainly. I sit with a bowl propped up on my slightly swelling belly and lazily feed myself chunks.

"That little lady is going to come out addicted to pineapples," Danny grumbles as he walks into the bedroom. I'm on bed rest for a week after Dr Kelly became concerned after our last apointment. I'm only allowed up to help myself to food or drinks, go to the bathroom or potter around the bedroom.

"I think she's already addicted," I point out, looking down at the bowl dissapointedly as it's now empty. I wonder about asking Danny to get me some more before thinking otherwise and set the empty bowl on the cabinet beside the bed.

Danny hangs up his jacket, takes off his tie, undoes his top button and sighs as he toes off his shoes.

"How are you feeling today?" He asks coming over to the bed.

"Bad back, feet are swollen," I shrug with a smile. "Another regular day for the Incubator."

Danny rolls his eyes and gets on the bed, scooting up behind me, legs either side of my body so I can lean back into him as he wraps his arms around me. He leans his face against mine and his hand slowly circles my belly as he thinks.

"How was your day?" I ask him.

"Long and tiring, but good. The presentation was a success and we brought in the new client," he explains. He's been nervous about the presentation all week, the new client vital in expanding the company so it's a big deal.

"Told you it'd go well," I tell him, interlocking my fingers into his as they rub my belly.

"Mmm, my lucky charm hmm?" He whispers against my temple.

He slides his fingers lower and I feel a low dip in my gut. I'm not in the mood, these days I'm never in the mood. It's enough Danny can hold me never mind implement foreplay or suggest we have sex. It's been hard, because he's every right to fuck me whether I resist or not, but he hasn't taken that step. I'm wondering how long he can last before he does. As his fingers delve under the curve of my belly and burrow under the waistband of my pants I pull my hand away and sigh heavily.

I don't even want to him to touch me and I close my eyes at the feel of his fingers brushing the top of my groin, fighting away the urge to push him away. He knows I'm tense, senses my dislike and gives a sigh of his own, pulling his hand away with a grunt.

"Fucking hell Steve, it's been weeks," he says suddenly. He pulls away, removing himself from his position behind me and gets off the bed.

"I'm sorry," I tell him but he's already heading for the bathroom.

"I'm taking a shower," he says before slamming the door closed behind him.

When he emerges from the bathroom he doesn't even look at me, just grabs his jacket from the chair and leaves.

It's late and he hasn't returned to the bedroom. I drift off to sleep feeling unease, wishing I could control my body and it's senses, I hate not desiring him. I wake to noise and wonder what time it is, wonder if his mood has changed. I'm about to speak his name and attempt to talk it out but something stops me, there's a heavy dip on the bed and movement. Hushed voices and a hoarse moan of Danny's name.

I lay tight on my side and close my eyes, squeeze them tight and try to ignore the fact that Danny has brought Maui to bed. Our bed - fucking him right there next to me. I feel sick, I want to flee but I stay frozen and I wish I could block out my senses. I can hear the harsh breath of Danny and the bed moves from their entwined bodies, Maui's moans full of pleasure and lust as Danny takes him.

Since I've been here Danny hasn't fucked any of his other slaves. It's not unusual for an owner to have just one bed mate and being the Incubator it gives me rightful status as Danny's bed mate any way. I feel betrayed even though Danny has the right to bring any slave to his bed when he wants. I lay there listening to the grunts and moans and know that I've driven him to this, not wanting to give him what he needs and rather than force me he's found another way of fulfilling those needs. I should be grateful, but instead I want to cry.

Fucking hormones.

The moment is over quickly, Maui cries out first before Danny follows him over the edge with a satisfied grunt. Things go silent for a while, all I can hear is heavy breathing before the bed shifts again.

"Get out," I hear Danny say gruffly and Maui leaves as Danny rearranges himself in the bed.

He just lays there, fucking lays there and I'm so angry and humiliated I want to hit him. But instead I don't shift, not until the ache in my back becomes too much. He hasn't shifted still and I have to, forcing my legs out of the bed and standing to ease the pain.

"Steve," Danny says quietly.

I don't want him to talk to me. I don't want to talk, I start pacing the floor, easing out the pain in my back through the slight movement.

"Back ache," I tell him, hoping he doesn't detect the hitch in my voice.

"Want me to massage it for you?" He offers and I feel like laughing, an angry, hollow, mocking laugh at him. At myself.

"No, it'll be fine," I shake my head, moving off to the bathroom.

I close the door and lean back against it, closing my eyes to stop tears falling. He doesn't follow me and it's a long time before I return to bed. When I do he's asleep and I'm grateful, easing down my body next to him and trying to forget what happend.

When I wake Danny has left for work early and I try and ignore thoughts of the nights events. I sit reading a book by the window, a small breeze rustling the pages. It's hot and sticky and not even noon yet and I can't get comfortable. The door clicks and I look up to see Maui entering, he's here to fix the sink in the bathroom. He gives me a stare, a knowing smile and I look away and ignore him. I don't throw my weight around in terms of bullying the others as I could do in my position and my fellow slaves respect me for it. But he's pushing his luck.

Maui is young, eighteen, fresh out of training and never previously owned. Danny bought him for implementing changes in the house, young with plenty of strength for labour work in him. I've never liked him. I think the feeling is mutual and we tend to just ignore each other rather than address the problem. So far we've managed to live alongside each other with barely a conversation and as long as it doesn't affect the rest of the household or Danny then I'm happy. But he's a flirt and been constantly panting after Danny since he entered the house three months ago. I wonder if he's picked up on the strain between Danny and myself, the needs not being addressed and made sure he was around when Danny snapped. Or maybe Danny has had his eye on him for some time already.

I stand, rubbing my back, pacing the floor restless from the constant ache. Maui appears in the doorway, leaning against it as he watches me. It's hard to ignore someone so evidently interested in what you are doing and I pause to stare back at him. He gives a sly smile and looks too comfortable in the room.

"How you feeling?" he asks, but there's no sentiment in his voice.

"Fine," I tell him. "You done?"

He grins and stands a little straighter with a nod. "Yeah, for now. Not sure what the master may need from me later."

My eyes burn into him but he doesn't even flinch from my evident distaste of him. He has the audacity to approach me instead of leaving, rubbing salt into the wound just a little more.

"He's a hell of a fuck ain't he?" He says. "Guess he's lucky to have other slaves around seeing as you can't perform your duties."

"Get out," I snap at him, drawing myself to full height. I may be nigh on seven months into incubation but I'm still well toned and tower over his petite frame like I could snap him like a twig.

The fucker doesn't even flinch, just shrugs and looks over at the bed like he's remembering Danny fucking him.

"I knew it wasn't going to be long before he took me to his bed," he continues relentlessly and without pause or fear. "After all, he's fucked me everywhere else in the house the last week or so."

I stare at him in surprise. The baby suddenly kicks and I blink, processing this new information. He looks at me with a victorious smile when he realises I didn't know. He starts to laugh, mocking and teasing.

"Oh you didn't know?" He says with a wave of his hand. "What, you thought he'd just wait around until you were in the mood? What a fucking joke."

I punch him.

A full force blow to the face that forces his whole body sideways. It takes him a moment to gather himself and slowly straightens himself up. When he lifts his face his cheek is already reddening and there are tears in his eyes from the blow. He rubs the back of his hand against his cheek and knows he's crossed the line but there's still an air of defiance about him.

I'm a little stunned myself. I've every right to knock him into shape how I like but I've long since given up hazing my fellow slaves. We're hazed enough by our owners without getting heavy handed with each other. But I'm seething inside and I want to do more than just punch him and the only reason is because he's been with Danny.

Danny is mine.

"Get out," I repeat because I can't guaruntee I won't start beating him if he remains near me.

He must realise my rage is genuine and makes for the door, giving me a fleeting satisfied look before he disappears. It takes me a while to calm down, I pace the floor and try to ignore the words he's planted in my head. Danny has been with him, fucking him, for days now. The baby starts to kick like she knows something is wrong, like she's venting my rage by kicking her heels. I half sit on the bed, rubbing my fingers into the small of my back as she goes toe to toe with my belly and tell her to calm down.

"Incubators just being a silly posessive fucker," I tell her, rubbing the swell where the kicks are aimed.

Danny is pissed when he arrives home to find Maui with a black eye and brusing cheek. I have no idea what he told Danny but Danny barges into the bedroom, door nearly coming off it's hinges and just stands and stares at me waiting for an explanation. I can see Maui hovering in the corridor and he catches my eye, gives a knowing smile like he's going to enjoy my dressing down by our Master. I hold his stare as I get off the bed, bypass Danny and shut the door on his fucking smug face.

"What the fuck Steve?" Danny asks angrily.

I feel like asking him the same thing. Instead I shrug my shoulders, bordering on insubordinate as I walk back over to the bed.

"I got angry, I hit him," I reply like it isn't a big deal even though it is. At least I'm not lying.

"He said he fixed the sink, asked you how you were and you hit him," Danny points out.

I look at him wondering if he actually buys that story. I wonder if Maui has managed to lure him into some false sense of trust.

"It was a little more than that," I point out because no way is the little shit getting away with it.

"Explain it to me," Danny says exaspertaed, waving his hands about.

I realise if I do that I'm going to look like the slave who got jealous of his master sharing affections with a younger, more attractive model. Fuck I'm a walking cliche.

"He wound me up," I say wishing I'd given more thought into how I'd explain this to Danny.

To be honest I thought Maui may have tried to avoid having to explain what had gone on but evidently he knows me better than I thought. He knows I'll have to tell Danny the truth and that I'll be the one who comes out looking stupidly jealous on the other side whilst he looks like the innocent victim.

Danny rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "Try harder."

I can see he's just getting angrier at me, at the entire situation. I'm angry myself, it's the reason I hit him in the first place. Because of him and because of Danny. I sit down on the bed and sigh, lowering my eyes unable to tell him what's going on.

"Fuck," Danny grits out, "Is this because of last night?"

I squeeze my eyes shut and try ignore the sounds that still echo in my head from the two of them.

"No," I say stubbornly.

"You going to punch every other slave I've fucked in this house the past few weeks?" Danny spits out and I look at him sharply. "I'll go tell them to line up."

I feel like telling him to make sure he's first in line, because I really want to punch him right now. Something must register in my face, the hurt, because he stops and stares at me and suddenly all the anger is draining away from his body and expression.

"No need to get them to line up, just bring them to bed like you did him," I say bitterly.

I feel deflated. I've allowed myself to start living an illusion. When did I start letting myself believe I meant more to Danny than a mere slave?

"Steven," he starts but I can't look at him. I'm ashamed, of myself. I am a fucking joke, just like Maui said. I push myself to my feet and keep my eyes lowered.

"I'm sorry Sir, I'll apologise to him," I say to him. "I shouldn't have hit him. It was wrong of me and he didn't deserve it."

"Don't Steve," Danny says drawing near to me. He puts a hand on my arm and gives a small squeeze. "Don't shut me out."

Fuck, what does he want from me?

"I shouldn't have brought him to bed last night," Danny continues. "I knew it was wrong but I thought, fuck I was so frustrated and angry with you and I wanted to hurt you. But I knew, even when I was fucking him I knew it was wrong of me, I regret every moment of it. I'm sorry baby."

"Don't," I say shaking my head. I want him to stop sending me all these strange signals. I want him to stop talking like he cares, honestly fucking cares for me more than I should expect him too. "Stop apologising, stop treating me different than what I am. Please stop, I don't know what you want from me, I don't know what you want. I can't give you what you need right now and if your not going to fucking take it as is your right, then go fuck all your other slaves and stop apologising for it. But please, please I'm begging you Danny, stop treating me different. I don't want to feel like this any more."

"You don't want to feel like how any more?" Danny asks quietly and I'm already well into my raving that his questions just open up the torrent and I can't stop myself.

"Like you fucking care," I spit, pulling my arm away and backing off. "More than you should. That I mean more to you than I should when I don't."

I wave a hand in the general direction of the door and give a mocking laugh, at myself. I'm cocooned inside the four walls of the bedroom and yet out there the world keeps spinning and life continues. I am not the centre of Danny's world, despite that he is the centre of mine. Of course he is, he owns me. But we aren't equals and his world is much bigger than mine, I'm merely a small insignificant part of it. I've backed off to the bed and I sit suddenly, sapped of energy. Danny is by my side in a second, grasping my hands thinking something is wrong as he gets down on his haunches.

"Steve? You okay?" He asks concerned, looking earnestly at my face, thinking there's something wrong with the baby.

"Yeah, fine," I assure him.

He doesn't shift and looks at me with a sad look in his eyes.

"I am sorry Steven," he says. I give a grimace. I wish he'd stop apologising. None of my owners have ever apologised for any of their actions and it's disconcerting. "For everything. I'm still trying to figure this out for myself and I've let you suffer because of that. I should never have brought him in here, I just did it to hurt you and I ended up hurting both of us."

I have no fucking idea what he's talking about.

"And I shouldn't have said what I did," he continues. "I haven't gone round fucking everyone in the household. I just said it because I knew how it would make you feel."

"Except Maui," I mumble, still bitter about what's gone on.

"Just that one time," Danny sighs, full of regret.

"But he said," I start before catching myself. I realise the little fucker lied to me just to get a rise out of me.

"He said what?" Danny repeats, looking up at me sternly.

I want to tell him but I know the trouble it will get Maui into. He's young and stupid and been pushing his luck for weeks but I'm not sure I want him to suffer Danny's wrath on this subject.

"Steven, what did Maui tell you?" Danny insists, not letting me look away.

"It's nothing," I try to water down the subject but Danny knows me too well and raises up a little.

"Baby, we're already dealing with enough shit as it is without you lying to me." He tells me and I know I have to tell him the truth. "What did he say?"

"He said that you'd been fucking all week," I say and it sounds ridiculously petchulant. "That you bringing him to bed wasn't the first time."

There's a flash of anger in Danny's eyes as he starts to form an idea of just went on between myself and Maui. He stands and I watch his fingers flex and unflex.

"Danny, don't be too hard on him. He's young, he's not used to -," I start, knowing he's going to have Maui punished for his lies.

"He knows the rules, he lied to me." Danny tells me and walks to the door, yelling for Kamekona before he grabs Maui and drags him into the room. The kid looks scared and instead of feeling some kind of victory I feel sorry for him. He cowers away as Danny advances on him and I just hope Danny doesn't get too heavy handed in his anger. A tongue lashing is terrifying enough from Danny when his temper is roused. Its rare he will order any kind of physical hazing but now he looks ready to do the whipping himself. Before he even asks Maui to explain himself he slaps him and the force takes my breath away never mind causing fresh pain for Maui.

I get to my feet quickly, hoping to diffuse the situation before Danny vents all his anger out on him.

"Danny please," I say calmly. "We were both at fault."

Maui holds his face and backs off with the kind of look in his eyes I'm too used to seeing in slaves. Full of terror of overbearing masters and the torture they can inflict on you. Maui is too young to have yet learned that it isn't always like that, too fresh out training to realise not every owner treats you like your nothing. His cynicism for owners and contempt for his position has forced him into this corner and unfortunately brought out Danny's dark side.

Danny turns to look at me and I return the look with pleading eyes.

"He lied," he points out but there's more to it.

Whatever is going on between us has filtered out into the rest of the household. We're all at fault, Maui is just as caught up in the situation as we are.

"Yes and it was wrong of him," I agree as Kamekona arrives at the doorway.

"Something wrong boss?" He asks, looking at Maui with a wondering expression. Maui looks terrified and Danny hasn't even started yet.

"Take Maui to his room and make sure he stays put," Danny says. "This isn't the end of all this Maui. You'll be lucky I don't have you carted back to the market by the end of the week."

I see the crushed expression this causes before Kame grabs him and pulls him out of the room, questions in his eyes. He'll get the full story out of Maui before they reach his room. Danny's shoulders slump and he looks at the empty doorway before turning to me.

"We need to talk," he points out.

I open my mouth to reply but frown when he turns and walks out of the room, closing the door behind him. I'm left a little shaken by everything that has gone on and stare at the door for a minute or so wondering if he's going to come back. When he doesn't re-appear I walk over to the window seat and sit down. Night is setting in fast, a quarter moon just visible in the corner of my eye as I try to make out the waters edge. The door opens again and I turn to find Danny returning, a beer in one hand and a bowl in the other. Crossing the room he holds out the bowl.

"Here," he says handing it to me.

It's filled with pineapple and I give a small smile as he pulls up the desk chair and sits opposite me, taking a long drink from the beer bottle. Then he just stares at me and I sure hope he doesn't expect me to be the one who starts talking because I've got no fucking idea what to say. I deliberately put a piece of pineapple in my mouth to avoid going first.

"Do you remember you're parents Steve?" He asks me.

I nearly choke on the pineapple as I swallow down hard on the question. My parents are a vague memory, slaves don't have the same kind of upbringing as free people. We're not encouraged to bond so my parents aren't something I think of in a fond sense. Slaves are allowed to live as a family unit until children reach the age of four, considered an appropriate age to remove us and put us into training facilities. Only a select few slaves are allowed to mate in order to produce children as a means of keeping the slave populace flowing. They tend to be older, experienced with a good history of behaviour and once they've done this final duty they are retired to the colonies if they aren't lucky enough to be returned to the market for resale. I don't know what happened to my parents when I was removed for training.

"Not really," I tell Danny honestly. "I remember my father was a very sad man. My mother, she was pretty I guess."

I remember her eyes, vaguely, or maybe I just think I remember them. As a couple they were a strange pair, my father the quiet, sad creature and my mother with the pretty eyes.

"I think she used to sing to me," I continue. "Hard to remember. I was put in the training facility at four years old."

"I had two dads," Danny says in reply. "One of them died when I was eight. My dad was crushed. I remember him sitting sometimes just doing nothing, staring into space, living in memories of the past when pop was alive and we were a family. He wasn't the same for a while and I used to think maybe I'd lost both of them after the accident. We had a slave, Laka, he'd been my dads slave since before he met pop, he helped raise me. Like my parents he was a constant in my childhood. When we lost pop,it was Laka who helped us both through the grief. As I grew older I realised the relationship between dad and Laka, it was different. They didn't act like owner and slave sometimes and I never really thought anything was strange about it until I realised not many other people were like that.

When I turned eighteen I received a large inheritance from my pop. Course if I'd been left to my own devices I'd have blown the lot in a year. Dad steered me in the right direction, encouraged me to pursue the career I wanted, set up the business I'd always planned. My pop had ran his own company and ever since I was a kid I'd wanted a big office, with a desk and one of those ridiculously huge pretentious office chairs. I always thought my pop was so cool when I got to see him at work. So dad made sure I didn't let the credits go to my head. Told me my pop had never gotten greedy, that he cared for the business, the people he employed, that his drive wasn't just about making credits and as long as I didn't let that become the one thing I lived for I'd be successful. And it's true. I've met ruthless bastards along the way but they always fall at some point in the game. I may be a smaller fish in the pond but I've never been close to losing everything."

He sees me smiling slyly and gives me a nudge with his knee.

"What?" he asks with a soft smile of his own.

"Just trying to imagine you as a kid sitting in your pops office chair," I reply with a grin. "I bet you were a cute kid."

"I was a cute kid," Danny nods with a cheeky smile. Big headed goof. "Any way, I'm getting off my original point. So I started up the business and bought my own place, started thinking of buying slaves of my own. Dad and Laka went with me to the market to buy my first slave, to give me some advice on making a purchase. 'Never buy a fresh to market slave as your first,' Laka told me. 'Only experienced owners should ever buy fresh slaves.' Dad just sniggered and nodded in agreement. 'Get a feel for them, not just from their history, but from what you think on first appearances,' Dad had said. 'Gut instinct is something to be relied upon.'"

"Wait, they gave you all that great advice and you ended up with Kamekona?" I snort and Danny rolls his eyes at my teasing.

"I followed their advice which is why I bought Kamekona," Danny points out, trying to look serious and failing. "Best slave I ever bought."

"Thanks," I say, pretending to be hurt.

"He never argues, never rolls his eyes," Danny starts to list and I can see the glint in his eye as he continues. "Never back answers, never sighs impatiently."

I can't argue with that. Kamekona has to be the most comfortable of slaves I've ever met, quite happy with his lot in life, faithful to the last to Danny. He also makes mouth watering meals, will always help out and never complains, even to his fellow slaves.

"What did your dad and Laka think when you decided on Kame?" I ask curiously.

"They agreed with the decision," Danny smiled. "I think they knew we'd be good for each other. Kamekona had some experience so he knew what he was doing and easy going enough to put up with a owner still trying to figure out what kind of master he was going to be. You know I know some owners, fuck they just hate their slaves. I mean what the hell is the point? In my whole life I never saw dad beat a slave. My pop was the one who would do the punishing any way and I only saw him haze a slave once. I remember his face afterwards. Like he was in pain as much as the slave - he never knew I'd witnessed it, I was seven and had hid in the cupboard when I heard them coming, wanting to surprise him and not realising what was going to happen. I had nightmares for weeks. Dad told me that if I had to haze a slave then it had to be for a damned good reason. Just because we're masters doesn't mean we get to treat slaves worse than animals. He told me words could just be as effective as a whip if I learned to use my instincts."

"He was right," I say in agreement. A telling off from Danny is worse than a hazing. I'd rather take a few lashes than be subject to one of his dressing downs at times.

"I asked my father about Laka once. I realised, or maybe I'd always known it but never really understood it, that they were in love. Like my pop and dad were in love. I wondered if it had always existed or if it had just appeared gradually since pops death. He said he's always known, ever since he'd lain eyes on him. It didn't stop him falling in love with pop when they met and pop knew about it. They managed to somehow co-exist, but pop was the sole benefactor of Dads affections when he was alive. It didn't mean Laka didn't matter, but Dad knew it was hard on Laka all those years and there was a layer of guilt there inside him because of it. After pop died, dad promised himself there'd be nobody else. He wouldn't let Laka suffer through it again. I wondered if it was hard, because he was a master and Laka was a slave. He said it didn't matter, you can't choose who you fall in love with, you just have to be true to it and you'll figure it out for yourself. He was still a master and Laka was still a slave and they both continued to conform to their roles."

I swallow hard and wonder why he's telling me this. He's nervous and takes another drink of his beer, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck.

"I always wondered if it actually happened just like dad said, you know, instant, " He pauses and I just nod mutely because I really have no idea how to react.

As a slave you learn not to take shows of affections from your owners to heart. Some can grow fond of you, but you don't kid yourself into thinking there's anything more to it. I love Danny. But love is a dangerous emotion for a slave and is best let go of or buried so you don't get hurt in the end. I learned that a long time ago.

"Remember a couple of months ago when we were talking about having another baby?" He asks me, leaning forward to make sure he has my whole attention. "When I said I knew when I saw you in the market that I wanted you."

I nod my head, "Yeah, I remember."

"It wasn't just that I wanted you Steve. It was like you already belonged to me. I didn't care how many credits they were asking for, fuck I felt like I'd have sold the business to own you if I had to. I knew that day what dad was talking about when he saw Laka. I understood then. Only it isn't that easy is it? Falling in love. Eight years in the pound and your history before that, I knew it wasn't going to be easy for you to respond the same way. I didn't even care if you didn't start to feel the same way. But there were moments when I thought maybe you returned to feelings. And I had to figure out how to strike the balance, master, slave, lover. I've fucked up along the way I know that, this situation with Maui is just one of the fucks ups. But I feel like sometimes I break through that wall you like to hold up around you and I get it, you've been hurt before, it isn't easy. You let me in but then I fuck up and you shut down again."

"You do fuck up quite a bit," I say after a long pause of silence. "I'd say yesterday was you're worst yet."

"Are you fucking kidding me? I'm pouring my heart out to you and all you can do is call me a fuck up?" Danny says exasperated.

"Well, you're my fuck up," I say gently, reaching out to grasp his hand. The baby has been kicking again and I press his palm to the spot where she's decided is a perfect place to beat my insides. Danny gives a smile when he feels her and looks up at me, eyes showing he meant every word and more. "I'm not sure I can pour my heart out in quite the same way. I could give you my entire history of life in the training camps but you bore easily. And you already said you know my history before I got put in the pound. I can tell you some stories of the pound but again, boring, nothing you've not heard before, though there was one particular guard who could be quite affectionate when it came to giving me a weekly fucking to keep my ripe. I'm a slave Danny. You learn to be careful with your affections towards your owners, because it's rare you don't get hurt because of them. And I have been hurt - only you can't show the hurt because you're a slave, you're emotions don't matter, nobody cares. I'm thirty six years old and I should know better - but fucking hell Danny you just had to keep working at me, had to keep picking at me till I broke. I've tried to not love you, when that didn't work I just pretended it wasn't happening. But it won't stay fucking buried. I'm in love with you and I don't know what the fuck to do about it, but apparently your in love with me so maybe we should just say it instead of avoiding the subject."

Danny put his head to one side and grins his smug smile. "I think I just told you I'm in love with you baby."

"Yeah, I know," I nod. This is big. Baby girl keeps kicking against her daddys hands like she's happy he and the Incubator finally got some things straightened out. "And I'm in love with you."

"I got that," Danny agrees smiling. "And I am sorry that I hurt you. I promise I won't ever do anything like that to you again. I can't promise I won't fuck up on occasion but that, taking another slave to my bed, will never happen again."

"I'm sorry I hit him," I say in return. "I just got so angry and jealous and I wanted to hurt him. But it shouldn't have happened and I will apologise to him."

"Yeah well, he shouldn't have said what he said and he knew you were in a vulnerable position on the subject," Danny sighed, knowing he still needs to deal with Maui.

"Are you really going to sell him on?" I ask nervously.

Danny looks at me and gives a small shake of his head. "I don't know yet. I can't have him in the house if he's going to cause trouble Steve."

"He's young," I explain, remembering the crushed look in Maui's eyes when Danny said he may be sold. "He doesn't trust himself. He acts how he's been trained to act and hasn't learned to trust his own instincts yet. But he will, he just needs time to understand owners aren't all overbearing and cruel. Training is tough Danny, you emerge from it under a shroud of fear and you think thats what life is always going to be like for you. Constant hazing and being treated like nothing. He got lucky, because you bought him. We're not all that lucky with our first owners. I've been hard on him since he got here, especially when I saw him trying to gain your affections. But he's desperate for it and when he found he wasn't going to be whipped for everything he did wrong he let down his defences a little. I think he just thought if he got you to fuck him, that you'd love him that little bit more. When you've been starved of affection, a kind word or a soft touch you desperately cling on to any that come your way. He saw me as something that stood in the way of that and he lashed out at me for it - we can't pretend the rest of the household hasn't seen whats going on between us. Please Danny, just think about it before you make a decision."

I know I can't tell Danny what to do and it's his choice, it's his household and he needs to do what he feels is best to keep it running smoothly. But I can hope he listens to what I have to say.

"I will think about it," Danny nods his head, before adding in a sterner tone. "You will apologise to him for punching him and he will apologise for his behaviour."

"Yes of course," I agree.

"Not tonight though," Danny says as he rubs fingers over my belly. The baby has stopped kicking and I hope she's finally going to settle so I can rest tonight. "It's been a long day already. We'll talk about it in the morning."

He stands and bends over to me, framing my face with his hands as he kisses me gently. "You get some sleep, I've got some work I need to do before I come to bed."

"All right," I reply before he kisses me again, a little longer this time.

He leaves me with a smile on his face and he seems a little lighter. The night has revealed a lot for the both of us and we both need some time to reflect on what we've told each other. I strip down for bed, the nights are too warm and cloying for bed clothes and I push off the blankets from the bed, pulling over a lone sheet that feels cool against my skin. I fall asleep quickly, stirring only when the bed shifts when he comes to bed. He curls up close, hand snaking around my belly and resting on the swell as he settles.

I'm content.

/

I'm woken in the morning to fingers trailing my skin and Danny's lips pressing kiss gently into my shoulders and neck. I don't feel the stirrings to want sex yet but I don't feel the urge to push him away either. I close my eyes and take in the sensations as he enjoys himself, giving a small shiver as his fingers teasingly trail against the small of my back.

"Steve?" he pauses, realising he's woken me.

"Hmm?" I hum in reply, still caught between waking and sleeping.

"This okay?" he asks and I'm touched by the thought. He doesn't have to ask permission to touch me, he's every right too without my say so. I cuddle into my pillow more with a relaxed sigh.

"Mhmm," I reply, pressing back enough to encourage him to continue.

He continues for a time and I doze contenedly until his lips starts pressing more insistently into the curve of my neck under my ear. His hand squeezes at my ass and I can feel his arousal pressing against me.

"Steve," he says whispering and I know he wants me.

Despite the lack of my own arousal and don't want to deny him. I find I want that deeper connection only sex can give us and I rouse myself out of my lazy stupor, trying not to break his mood as I reach over to my bedside cabinet and grasp blindly into the drawer for the lube. I press it into his hand without shifting my position and bend my leg up to give him more room to manouvere.

"You sure?" he asks, even as he pops the lid of the bottle.

"Yes, yes," I tell him in a whisper, feeling the slick press of a finger against my ass.

He's careful in preparing me and it's strange, I still feel no arousal of my own but it still feels good. He withdraws his fingers and presses close, hand snaking just above the swell of my belly to hold me as he pushes in. It's been some time and I grunt as I feel myself stretching to accomodate him. He takes it slow and settles when he's fills me full, pressing his lips hard against my neck as he luxuriates in the feel of claiming me.

He takes his time, hips moving at a slow pace, thrusts shallow and his breath soft where his mouth rests on my skin. There's no race to get him to his climax and I interlink my fingers into his as he takes me. I moan softly at every small thrust and move, the sensations starting to thrum through my body. My reactions seem to urge him on and he becomes less tentative, his own grunts of pleasure seeping into my skin with his breath as he become more persistent, hips grinding against mine. He buries his face right down against me as his hips piston harder, thrusts less shallow and I squeeze his fingers with every jolt that spirals along my spine.

"Fuck, Steve," I listen to him chanting between escaping moans of enjoyment. "Yes, fuck baby."

He's close and I know his signs. He wants this to last but can't escape his bodies need to release the pleasure. He grasps onto me more firmly, like he can stave off his orgasm and I push back as he thrusts into me, taking him deeper. It's the one thing I have momentary control over in our relationship, making him fall even when he resists it. He struggles to grasp hold of control but I want him to come, want to hear him moan and writhe in his pleasure and it be because I brought it upon him. I let go of his hand to reach round him, fingers feeling the flexing muscles of his ass as he thrusts, squeezing and pulling him closer as I press back.

"Fuck baby fuck," he grits out, starting to lose it. He can't help himself, his final thrusts jar into me and I feel his cock spasm deep inside. I smooth my fingers against his ass as he gives a few shallow thrusts as he empties into me, riding out his orgasm.

He loosens up as he sates, leaning heavy against me as he breathes in deep and composes himself in his bliss. As he stirs I feel his fingers sliding down under my belly to touch me but I wrap fingers round his wrist to stop him.

"Steve," he asks sounding meek and saddened at my lack of arousal.

I pet his hand as I pull it up again, pressing it instead to my chest. "It's okay, it's okay." I assure him. "It still felt amazing Danny."

"Yeah?" he asks, leaning up to look at me better. I turn my head and smile up at him.

"Yeah," I reply whole heartedly.

/

Danny doesn't deal with Maui straight away, leaving him to stew a little in his discomfort while he makes a decision on what to do about him. He's allowed out of his room under the strict supervision of Kamekona to do duties around the house. When he's not working he's put back under lockdown. It's oppressive, we slaves have free reign within the household as long as we do our duties well and don't cause trouble. So being under lockdown is hard, always being watched by someone, not spoken to by anyone and locked in your room when you aren't working. Danny instills in us a lot of trust so when that trust is taken away it affects everyone.

Despite my own ordered rest I leave my room, pottering about in the kitchen pretending to get myself something to eat. Kamekona knows I'm merely hovering but doesn't say anything, pursing his lips and giving a small shake of his head. As he takes Maui back to his room for a short time to have lunch I take my chance, following along behind.

"Not sure the boss would like it," Kamekona mutters to me when I tell him I want to talk to Maui alone.

"I'll make sure I take full responsibility when he finds out Kame," I tell him.

He shakes his head again and pads off to start preparing the evening meal. Maui sits down on his bed and doesn't look at me. Closing the door I pull up the chair that stands in the corner of his room and sit down between him and the door. I remember being his age, the fight or flight urge was strong at the time and I don't want him trying anything stupid.

"Maui," I say wanting to get his attention. He still doesn't look at me, just sits still and tense and feeling sorry for himself. "I came to apologise for what happened yesterday. I shouldn't have hit you."

"You apologising because he told you you had to?" Maui asks, resentment in his tone.

I feel my hackles rise a little at the way he refers to Danny as 'he', the way he says it. So bitter and hurt.

"No, I'm apologising because I know I have to. It was wrong, I got angry and I lashed out at you," I tell him, staying calm. "I'm sorry."

He doesn't say anything, just sits and picks at a loose thread of his pants, awkward and confused.

"Okay," he says after the silence starts to verge on uncomfortable.

I smile. He really does have a lot to learn and I hope Danny will give him another chance so he can learn from his fellow slaves, learn under the teachings of a good master just what kind of person he can be. Any other slave would have apologised right back and it would be the end of the matter, but he isn't used to receiving apologies and the only ones he's ever had to make is to his training officers, holder and owner. I stand up when I realise the apology isn't going to come directly from him, most probably it will be given because Danny will order him to. I move the chair back to it's rightful place and head for the door.

"Steve?"

I pause and turn to look at him. He still hasn't moved and still won't look at me.

"Yes?"

"Is Danny going to send me back to the market?" His voice sounds small and I remember how vulnerable he must feel. He's only been part of the household a few months, fresh out of training, still trying to find his feet. I wonder, even in the short time he's been with us, that we may have already made an impression on him.

"I don't know," I reply honestly. "He hasn't told me his decision. I asked him to give it some thought instead of making a rash call but it's up to him Maui. Danny runs a household based on trust and you broke that trust. You lied to him, you tried to cause trouble and he doesn't look kindly on that."

"Maybe - maybe he'll just haze me for it," Maui says sounding distressed. He looks up at me and I can see a fear in his eyes, not of being hazed, but of being removed.

I sigh and walk over to the bed, sitting down beside him.

"Danny doesn't work like that," I tell him. "You've worked here a few months. Tell me, when is the last time you saw someone getting lashed here?"

He thinks about it and gives shake of his head.

"I'm not saying it hasn't happened," I explain to him. "But it's rare Danny will order a hazing unless it's his only option."

"Well then," Maui says exasperated, waving his hands about as he shrugs in desperation for his own plight.

"Maui, those were hazings for slaves who've been in the household for years. Even the more experienced of us make mistakes and Danny has to ensure to keep us in check. But it's a double edged sword, haze us and cause hurt for a time, or have us removed completely. Danny treasures us as much as we do him."

"But then, if that's the case," Maui struggles to understand what I'm telling him.

"You're new here Maui," I explain. "If you show him you can't be trusted this early on, that you're going to cause trouble, he won't have you in the house. Maybe, if you'd been here a few years things may have been different. But right now your behaviour hasn't proved to him that you're an asset to the household and to his life."

"His life?" Maui spits out bitterly. "He's just a owner, what does he care as long as we do our duty to his standards? That we conform to our stations and keep his home running smoothly?"

I understand his derision for his lot in life. It's hard not to be bitter when training makes you hardened to the possibility of happiness, to the mutual caring between owner and slave.

"If you don't think he cares so much about you then why are you bothered if he sells you on or not?" I ask knowingly. "He cares about all of us Maui. You just need to open your eyes and see it. Think about it, think about the way he and Kamekona interact. Do you think Kame hates Danny? Do you think Danny doesn't care for Kamekona? Danny loves him and he loves Danny. It doesn't matter that ones an owner and another a slave. It just matters that they trust one another, that they rely on each other. Danny wants to care about you but you have to show him that your worth it. And I think he at least thought you were or he wouldn't have bought you. He must have seen something about you, in you, that made him think you were worth it."

"You didn't think so," Maui points out and it's a fair point.

"Not everyone gets along," I shrug. "But I trust Danny's instincts. So we made a bad start, doesn't mean it has to end badly. Plus I have a perfect excuse, I'm with child at the moment and my hormones are fucking off the scale."

I hear him chuckle and sense he's relaxing a little. Maybe we can have a fresh start, if Danny decides to keep him.

"Steve?" he says carefully and I give him a look.

"Yeah?"

He looks at me with a lingering hope that somehow he can get himself out of the mess he's gotten himself into.

"I'm sorry," he says after a pause, processing his thoughts. "About everything. I shouldn't have said what I did. I knew something was going between you and Danny, we all knew. I mean we never really spoke about it but we all picked up on the tension. Then, that night, Danny just, he seemed so angry and upset and I dunno, I took advantage of his mood. I guess I knew it would hurt you and I didn't understand, I don't understand. I see how you are together and I don't know why but it makes me so jealous. And we never liked each other and I knew, I knew it would hurt you and it meant I got some of that attention for a change. So I took advantage of the oppurtunity, I just, I kept pushing and pushing and then afterwards, I just had to keep digging the knife in.

But now everything is just so fucked up. I don't want to go back on the market, I don't want another owner. I know I won't get lucky next time. I know I'm bad and I fucked up and probably deserve a dozen hazings for everything, but I just, I can't go back. You think maybe, maybe if I beg him he won't send me back? I'll do anything. I'll do all the dirty jobs, I'll stay under lockdown, I'll do extra duties, work morning, noon, night."

He's moved from a lingering hope to desperation and I can see the terror in his expression at the idea of going back to market. He's only seen a glimpse of what life can be like under a good man like Danny and he doesn't want to lose that life. He's distressed and I do the only thing I can do, putting an arm around him and pulling him close. The poor kid clings to me like I'm a life raft and cries out his fears

"You don't have to beg him Maui," I tell him trying to soothe his distress. "You just need to tell him, just like you have done with me. You need to show him and that means being honest with him. He will listen, if he sees your genuine. You have to trust him and I know that isn't easy, but it's so worth it Maui, he is so so worth it."

I hold him until his cries subside and he nods mutely against my chest as he composes himself. The baby starts kicking a little and I feel a pang of hunger, remembering I had been about to get myself something to eat, even if it was a ploy to corner Maui in his room.

"Here," I say, taking his hand and pressing it to my belly where the little kicks are occurring. "I think she agrees with me that her daddys worth it."

"That is weird," Maui frowns feeling the little beats. But he's also fascinated and keeps his hand there with an amused look on his face. "I've never seen a baby before."

It's not surprising, most of his life he's spent in training camps with slaves his own age.

"Well, here's hoping you get to meet this little lady," I say with a smile, pushing myself up to stand.

He pulls his hand away, subdued.

"Hey, give Danny a chance and he will give you a chance," I point out to him. "Just make sure you show him, you."

"Thanks Steve," he says with a nod. "I'll try."

"I know you will," I say as I head for the door. "And Maui."

"Yeah?"

"Maybe he'll show you that you're worth it too."

/

Danny appears in the bedroom looking at me with a curious, suspicious smile as he tumbles ungraciously onto the bed.

"You spoke to Maui today didn't you?" he accuses with a small smile.

"I went to apologise to him," I reply with a small shrug.

"Yeah? He apologise to you?" he asks me.

"Yes, eventually," I tell him.

"Eventually?" He pries for more information.

"Yes he just needed to talk some things out first," I explain.

"What kind of things?" Danny gets comfortable, propping himself up on an elbow.

"Slave things," I return with a smile.

"Well, considering you're both my slaves, I guess you can explain it to me," Danny pushes, expectantly awaiting an answer.

"Are you keeping him?" I ask in return.

"I asked you first, don't change the subject," he tells me.

"I don't remember the details," I reply.

"Steven," he says reproachfully.

"Does it matter? Are we keeping him?" I ask hopeful.

"I thought you didn't like him," Danny retorts. Was it that obvious?

"I've had a change of heart," I tell him. "Are we?"

Danny sighs and looks at me like I'm a pain in the ass. I am, I know. I smile innocently and he rolls his eyes, rolling onto his back.

"Yes, he's staying," He gives in. "But he knows, he screws up again, he goes, no arguments."

/

Danny wants to purchase a new slave for when the baby comes. A nanny. Kamekona has been making him nervous, his excitement for the babys arrival is evident and he keeps assuring Danny he's going to be on hand to help out. Danny loves Kame but the idea of him being one of the sole influences in his daughters life isn't something he wants to contemplate. I love Kame, as a surrogate 'uncle' as he's taken to calling himself when he refers to the baby, he's going to be great. I've no doubt he'll set himself up as her personal bodyguard. But Danny wants someone a little more responsible to help in bringing her up.

He takes me with him to the market. I hate the market, be it as something to be traded or there to accompany an owner. I know what it's like to be on a podium waiting to be bought. I take in the various types, the fresh young nubiles terrified of what life is going to be like for them, still learning the ropes. The slightly older ones, being sold on because they serve no purpose any more to their current owners. There's a section for older slaves, possibly couples who've given birth to slaves, put back on the market instead of sent to the colonies to work the rest of their days.

I slip my hand into Danny's. The market makes me nervous despite that I'm owned and have nothing to fear about it. We browse searching, I'm not sure what type Danny is looking for but he has a good eye. As he stands and scrolls through one of the sellers lists at the side of a podium I look around at the slaves.

"What about her?" he says, fingers tapping over the screen and pulling up the information of a young female slave.

I quickly take in the details as Danny walks along the line of slaves to get a closer look at her. She's got experience working for another family, been back on the market for a few months. Only twenty three. I recognise the family name of the owners she belonged to, a respectable family from the city and she's received high praise from them. She was only with them four years, long enough to bring up the child until it could start school.

Danny has moved off and I follow as the holder gives me a cold stare for loitering. He seems about to accuse me, following close behind until I reach Danny and he turns to give me a smile, eyeing the holder close behind. I glance over to see the girl and there's something about her in the flesh. You can tell alot about a slave by looking at them and not just by reading their history.

"Well, what do you think?" Danny asks me quietly, ignoring the holder.

"I like her," I whisper back.

"Me too," Danny smiles and turns to the holder. "How much for her?"

"400," the holder says without hesitation.

It's a high price for a young slave but considering the family she is being sold on from it's not surprising. It's probably why she's been on the market so long without being taken in by new owners. Danny usually barters but he gives her another glance and holds out his hand to seal the deal.

Her name is Kono.

She shoots me a small smile as I take her back to the car while Danny signs the papers. It's too warm to sit inside yet so I stand with her as we wait for Danny.

"When's the baby due?" She asks me, eyeing the protuding bump.

"Next month," I reply, giving baby girl a pat.

"Cool," she smiles, a little more as ease. "Do you know what it is?"

"A girl," I tell her. "And a feisty one at that the way she kicks her heels. Definitely Danny's daughter."

She gives a small giggle and I like her. She's at ease already and something tells me she's going to be good to have around the house.

"My last owner had twin boys," she says, putting her head to one side in thought. "A girl will be a nice change."

There's a hint of loss in her eyes as she speaks, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. I'm beginning to wonder if Danny has an uncanny knack for getting a feel for slaves who just need a little extra care and love in their lives.

"We ready?" Danny questions walking up behind us.

"Too hot to sit in the car," I explain.

Lei, the driver goes to open up the trunk but Danny waves his hand and looks at Kono with a small smile. "You can sit up front with Lei, it's cooler for you there."

Kono gives a grin and doesn't pause to give him a chance to change his mind, almost skipping around the car to get to the passenger side.

"Thanks Sir," she says as she opens the car door.

I shoot Danny a look and I can tell he's already starting to like her as much as I am. It's like she's already part of the family. There's something refreshing about her deamanour, she isn't afraid to ask questions but not in an intrusive way. She questions Lei all the way home, keeping her voice low in case she becomes irritating, pointing at various locations along the route and asking what their names are. Danny keeps darting her looks and shaking his head with a small expression of humor in his face. As we swing onto the road following the coastline she rolls down the window and practically hangs herself out of it fascinated at the beauty of the rolling waves.

"Pull up at the path Lei," Danny says leaning forward in his seat as we head along the private road to the house. "We'll walk up from here."

Lei pulls over and Danny jumps out as I ease myself out the other end. Danny opens the passenger door and waves a hand at Kono.

"Come on, you too," he tells her. She can't undo her belt fast enough and gets out of the car as I'm closing my door.

"Tell Kame we'll be up soon," Danny leans down to talk to Lei. "Ask him to set up supper outside, it's too nice to be inside."

We wander along the path alongside the private beach that leads up to the house. I sense Kono is slightly awed by everything, I wonder if it's just because of the scenery or something else.

"Ever seen the ocean before Kono?" Danny asks her.

"No Sir," she says giving a shake of her head and pushing her hair out of her face where it's whipped up by the warm breeze.

Danny rolls his eyes and gives me a shake of his head. "City owners," he groans. "Live on a fucking Island all your life and don't go near the ocean. What's with that?"

"Afraid of getting their feet wet?" I offer as an explanation dryly.

Danny smirks and I see Kono giving us a wondering look. She seems uncomfortable and I guess her previous owners weren't so easy with their slaves. Some owners treat you normal, like Danny. Others make sure you know your place at all times. It's not that we don't understand who we are around Danny, but he doesn't see it as something that prevents us from having a normal conversation or sharing a joke with him at times. Especially in the privacy of his own home. Kono will learn to be just as at ease around him as the rest of us in time.

"Well, want to get your feet wet Kono?" Danny asks her. She looks dubious about the question but he doesn't give her a chance to think about it. "Come on, shoes off." He encourages, toeing off his own, along with his socks.

Thankfully I'm wearing slip ons because my feet have decided pregnancy means they have to swell up permanently. Sliding them off is easy but there's no way I'm picking them up, there's just to no easy way of reaching down for things off the floor with baby girl in the way. Danny grabs them and helps me down as we step down from the path onto the sand. Kono follows a little way behind, taking in her new surroundings and probably trying to figure out her new master. I take my shoes off Danny and slide my free hand into his as we head accross the beach to the shoreline.

The tide is in, waves lapping up to greet us. The water is cool and refreshing against my feet and in the distance we can see Kame catching a view of us and giving a wave of his hand before he returns to his work. I turn slightly to see Kono standing still at the water line as the ocean laps up, covering her ankles before falling back. She seems a little awed.

Danny gives a squeeze of my fingers and gives a small tug, getting me to walk again.

"Come on Kono," he says over his shoulder. "Kamekona hates it when your late for supper."

/

It's four days since we bought Kono. We're in the nursery putting some finishing touches to it when the pains begin. Kono dissappears to ask Maui to help hang some chimes and suddenly I'm in a cold sweat, a sharp, twisting pain in my gut. I manage to grab the dresser to hold myself up, legs shaky as I try to deal with it but I'm in agony. I hear my name yelled from the doorway and suddenly several hands are on me. Kono and Maui manage to manouvere me into a chair and yell for Kame. It's too soon, I've still got five weeks before the baby comes but the pains are the same as my first full term incubation when I went into labour. It feels like forever before I can pant out instructions as Kamekona comes to the door at the beckoning of Maui.

"Call the ambulance," I order them. "And tell Danny."

I try not to panic but the pains are worse than before, reminding me of when I went through the termination. We can't lose her now, not when we're so close to the end. I look at Kono and Maui who are crouched down near me at a loss at what to do, completely terrified of whats going on with me. They're too young to understand.

"Kono, go get the bag out of Danny's room and take it to the front hall," Kamekona orders them, wanting to keep them busy. "Maui, go wait by the door for the ambulance."

I'm glad of him as he comes to sit by me, taking my hand and ignoring the grip I give it as the pains start rolling over my body.

"I'll come with you to the hospital," he tells me assuringly. "Don't worry Steve, everything's gonna be okay."

I want to believe him.

They are prepping me for an emergency section when Danny arrives. I'm fucking terrified we're going to lose her. Chin has already explained to me there's a risk, especially the longer they wait. The early labour is putting her into distress and they have to get her out soon. He's had Danny on the phone as he was en route to the hopsital and between the chaos I've managed to peice together that Danny has given the go ahead. Kame has been with me throughout, holding my hand silently. I could cry when Danny barges through the doors, only halted by Dr Kelly who knows the urgency of the situation, giving him some last minute details before he can reach me.

Danny finally gets to my side, Kamekona stepping out of the way and he leans down, kisses me and tells me everything is going to be all right. I want to believe him, I really do, but I can see it in his eyes. There's a chance everything could be lost.

"Danny, we have to go now," Chin tells him. "The more time we spend here, the less chance we have of getting her out safely."

"Okay, okay," Danny nods, reluctantly pulling away.

I lose sight of him as the team of nurses starts whisking me off on the rolling bed to surgery. I don't take much in as they put me under, I remember a mask on my face and then blackness.

They got the baby out safely. Five weeks early she was in a prem ward for a time until her little body gained a little more strength.

It was me they nearly lost.

The surgery was already a risk with the distress of my body and the already added complications of carrying her. I crashed twice as they tried to stabilise me once they got the baby out and I was in intensive care for a week. Chin warned Danny he may have to make the choice, but Danny has always been a stubborn fucker and refused to consider it as an option.

I slowly came back to him, first opening my eyes to find my body attached to so many fucking tubes I felt like I was stuck in some bad abducted by aliens sci fi movie. I slipped in and out of conciousness for hours, but everytime I opened my eyes Danny was there, seeing me through it. Eventually I was moved out of intensive care into recoup, where I was holed up for two weeks. Danny explained everything to me there, when I was lucid enough to understand.

"She's beautiful Steve," He tells me as he sits on the bed, crowding in close to me. "Just wait till you see her, you'll fall in love again. Honestly, the most beautiful creature I've ever seen, well, aside from you."

I pull him close and get him to kiss me, because it's a lot of information to take in, technically dying twice and only just pulling through a third time. I savor his kiss like it's oxygen, giving me extra energy to carry on. I'm just glad she's alive, safe, fighting.

"When can I see her?" I ask him when I finally let him pull back, not too far, but enough to talk.

"They just wanted to get you settled," he assures me. "Chin's coming to see us and we'll find out when we can take her home."

He re-arranges himself as we wait, getting up on the bed with me, letting me lie against him. I think he wants the closeness as much as I do and it might be a tight fit but I don't care. I fall asleep against his chest feeling safe and secure. I wake when Chin finds us both sleeping, giving Danny a small shake to rouse him.

"Hey doc," Danny says sleepily.

"Hi," Chin says, ignoring the fact that Danny has a perfectly decent bed already set up in the room for him to sleep in. "Hows the patient?"

He gives me a smile and I smile weakly back at him.

"Think I'm going to be good," I tell him.

"Well, that's what your charts are telling me and we can't both be wrong," Chin agrees with a nod. "We'll be keeping you in for several days as you get your strength back up but I don't forsee any problems. You gave us a scare for a while."

"Sorry doc," I reply.

"Hey, wouldn't be a day in my line of work if I didn't have one patient testing my endurance," Chin shrugs with a glint in his eye as he closes the file he's been browsing through. He pauses and looks me straight in the eye. "So, you ready to meet her? Because she's ready to meet you."

I see movement in the hall out of the corner of my eye and Danny shifts enough to let me sit up a little better. I still won't let him move away though, laying a hand on his arm before he even considers getting up. He settles back down as they wheel in the small baby cradle and a nurse in a ridiculously bright caridgan and smile to match looks over at us expectantly.

She picks up the little bundle from it's tiny bed on wheels and heads over and my heart starts skipping beats. It's weird, she's been inside me for eight months and I feel strangely empty and lighter yet heavy with the new burden of having to now be responsible for her continued growth in the world. I realise the nurse is leaning over to hand her to me and have a fleeting, crazy thought that I've never held a baby before and how the fuck am I expected to hold one now? But I catch the bundle into the crook of my arm and cradle her close as the nurse settles her down.

I look down to see grey blue eyes staring straight back up at me. We just stare at each for a long time, her little mouth opening and closing, twisting and pouting as we take each other in. Chin and the nurse leave us alone as Danny leans over, pulling back the blanket a little to tease her hand out of it's cocoon of blankets and I get a glimpse of five perfectly shaped fingers and the tiniest finger nails as they wrap around his finger and hold on. Babies are like mind fucks - perfectly tiny imitations of adults. Everything is ridiculously small and perfect. How do they even fucking exist?

Danny is right. I'm falling in love all over again - with a tiny bundle of pink skin, perfect fingers and grey blue eyes.

He presses his lips to my forehead and just lets me enjoy the moment of meeting our daughter for the first time.

"Danny?" I ask him.

"Yeah?"

"What are we going to call her?" I say.

She gazes up at us like she's waiting to find out herself. We haven't really discussed names, there were a few Danny liked but he goes with his instincts and said we'd know when we met her.

"I was thinking Grace," he replies, wiggling his finger where here little hand still remains clamped.

I turn the name around in my head as I look on her. She pouts her lips and squeezes her eyes closed before opening them again, staring intently again.

"Grace," I repeat out loud with a smile. It rolls off my tongue like it's always been her name.

"Grace is perfect."

~ fin~


End file.
